NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 435
DATE OF PUBLICATION: FRIDAY 09 SEPTEMBER 2011 [IQP No 28 -2011] SECOND
SESSION, FOURTH PARLIAMENT
Question 435 for written reply: National Council of Provinces, Mr K A
Sinclair (COPE-NC) to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries:
Whether her department has the necessary (a) processes and (b) procedures
in place to ensure the thorough scrutiny of genetically modified organisms
(GMOs) before being introduced in South Africa; if not, why not; if so,
what are the relevant details? CW535E
REPLY:
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries has the necessary
processes and procedures in place to ensure a thorough scrutiny of
genetically.
All activities involving genetically modified organisms are regulated under
the Genetically Modified Organisms Act, 1997 (Act No. 15 of 1997). The Act
aims to ensure that all activities involving genetically modified organisms
are carried out in such a way as to limit possible harmful consequences to
human and animal health, the environment as well as potential influences on
the South African trade and industry.
A request to conduct an activity involving genetically modified organism
(GMOs) is subjected to a multidisciplinary process of scientific evaluation
by an expert panel of scientists constituting the Advisory Committee (AC).
The AC evaluates risk assessment and risk management data submitted by the
applicant in line with international norms and standards. The AC therefore
evaluates information such as the inherent genetic characteristic of the
GMO, its competitiveness within an ecological system (focusing on spread in
the environment, possible resistance, etc.), its safety for use as food or
feed, overall environmental impact, measures proposed to deal with
potential risks and accidents, etc.
Once the AC is sufficiently satisfied, a detailed recommendation is made to
the Executive Council (EC). The EC is the decision-making body and
consists of the departments of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, Science &
Technology, Trade and Industry, Health, Environmental Affairs and Labour.
Members of the EC are appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry &
Fisheries upon nomination by the respective ministers. Each Council member
has the responsibility to ensure that all GMO activities are carried out in
a way which is consistent and supportive of their respective departmental
mandates. As a result, all EC decisions are made on the basis of consensus.
The EC decision is therefore made with due consideration of the
recommendation from the AC and public inputs (in the case of environmental
release and food and feed authorizations).
Authorizations are granted by means of permits which clearly outlines the
limits within which the activity is to be carried out. Compliance to these
conditions or limitations is monitored by inspectors of the DAFF.
The GMO Act is sufficiently comprehensive to manage activities in contained
laboratories, limited field trials, commercialization and the transboundary
movement (import & export).
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