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South Africa's current economic development strategy is articulated through a number of initiatives. The New Growth Plan (NGP), which was released in 2010 by the Ministry of Economic Development, aims at reducing unemployment by 10 percentage points by 2020. It prioritizes infrastructural development, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, and promotion of a green economy, as the main drivers for job creation. (...)

(...) Levies are collected on certain agricultural products (Section 4); and an environmental levy on certain goods. A fuel levy and the road accident fund (RAF) levy are also in place.

Until the implementation of the Customs Duty Act, the Customs and Excise Act will continue to regulate rebates on any customs duties, the fuel levy and the road accident fund levy on specific goods imported for, inter alia, domestic consumption by diplomats (based on reciprocal treatment), special events such as international exhibitions, relief in cases of natural disasters and famines, and manufacturing and commercial use of goods re-imported into South Africa.

(...) In 2012, South Africa notified its import licensing regime under Article 7.3 of the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures; import restrictions apply to used goods ; goods controlled under the Montreal Protocol; and under the 1998 Convention against chemicals used in illegal drug manufacturing, the Basel Convention.

(...) The import control regime is implemented for various purposes, including: protection of public morals, compliance with domestic regulations and relevant international conventions, and protection of public health. Controlled imports include live plants and animals and products thereof; drugs and narcotics; pornographic or objectionable materials; uncut diamonds; and waste and hazardous materials. The regime applies to all imports, including from other SACU countries.

Since 2009, South Africa has notified some 100 technical regulations to the WTO. They cover products in areas such as environmental protection, human health, food standards, and product safety. (...)

Under the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Act, the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) administers technical regulations with a view to protecting human health, safety and environment, and ensuring fair trade in accordance with government policies and guidelines. In addition, several laws serve as a basis for the imposition of technical regulations (Table 3.3). (...)

Table 3.3 Legislation upon which some technical regulations are based, 2015
Department: Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Legislation - Products:
- Agricultural Product Standards Act (Act No. 119 of 1990); Meat Safety Act (Act No. 40 of 2000) - Products: Fruit, vegetables, flowers, red meat, and poultry, dairy products, grains, processed fruits and vegetables, organically produced products, fresh (raw) meat

- Genetically Modified Organisms Act (Act No. 15 of 1997) - Products: GM agricultural crops, plants, and animals

Department: Environmental Affairs and Tourism
- National Environmental Management Act (Act No. 107 of 1998) - Products: Plastic bags, waste tyres, and asbestos products
- National Environmental Management Air Quality Act (Act No. 39 of 2004) - Products: Ambient air quality standards
Source emission standards
- National Environmental Management Protected Areas (Act No. 57 of 2003 as amended) - Products: Management of national protected areas; Restricts activities that can be conducted in protected areas such as mining
- National Environment Management Biodiversity Act (Act No. 10 of 2004)- Products: Ensures equitable and sustainable use of natural resources to contribute to economic development; trade and use of threatened and protected species; access and benefit sharing; draft regulations for international trade in wild fauna and flora cover the import and export of alien species

Department: Transport
- National Road Traffic Act (Act No. 93 of 1996) - Products: Safety, health, and environmental aspects of transport of dangerous goods by roads
- National Railway Safety Regulator Act (Act No. 16 of 2002) - Products:Safety, health, and environmental aspects of transport of dangerous goods by rail

Trade and Industry
NRCS Act, 2008 (Act No. 5 of 2008) - Regulates products and processes relating to public safety, health, and the environment

Energy
Nuclear Regulation Act (Act No. 47 of 1999) - Nuclear energy
(...)

The regulatory framework for GMOs is the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Act, 1997 (No. 15 of 1997) and its Regulations. The legislation provides that safety assessments should be conducted for every proposed GMO activity. The Act provides a framework to ensure that all activities involving the use of GMOs are carried out in a responsible way while limiting possible adverse impacts on the environment, and on human and animal health. In addition to the GMO Act, the following pieces of legislation also consider biosafety issues: National Environmental Management Act of 1998, National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act No. 10 of 2004, and Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972.

In order to give effect to the 2000 Cartagena Biosafety Protocol, the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Act was amended in 2006; and the Amendment Act, as well as related regulations came into operation in February 2010. The new legislation seeks to provide for the "responsible development, production, use and application of GMOs", as well as an "adequate level of protection" during all activities involving GMOs that may have an adverse impact on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, and human and animal health. In addition, it seeks to ensure that, inter alia, GMOs do not present a hazard to the environment, and to establish appropriate procedures for the notification of specific activities involving the use of GMOs.