. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/ZAF/13
1 July 2002
(02-3670)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   SOUTH AFRICA
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Health
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):   Honey bush and rooibos tea and bottled water
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any
country importing bottled water into South Africa
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Regulations Governing
Microbiological Standards for Foodstuffs.  Government Notice No. R. 492 dated26 April 2002.  (3 pages)
6. Description of content:   Microbiological specifications have been established for honey
bush and rooibos teas as well as amendments made to the total viable colony count for
bottled water
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or di sease,  [   ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   Government Gazette
No. 23340 dated 26 April 2002.  English
10. Proposed date of adoption:   When the final amendments to the regulations are published
in the Government Gazette.  This is not expected before December 2002.
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   On publication of the final amendments to the
regulations as published in the Government Gazette.G/SPS/N/ZAF/13
Page 2
12. Final date for comments:   26 June 2002.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body :
Directorate: Food Control
Department of Health
Private Bag X828
Pretoria
0001
SOUTH AFRICA
Phone:  +27-12-3120167
Fax:  +27-12-3264374
E-mail:  carolv@health.gov.za
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority,  [ X ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Ms V Carolissen-Mackay, Directorate: Food Control.  Details as above or
www.health.gov.za