BIOSECURITY SOUTH AFRICA

For further information, contactDepartment of Environmental Affairs

Call Centre: 086 111 2468Website: www.environment.gov.za

The Directorate Biosecurity

administers National Environmental

Management: Biodiversity Act

(NEMBA, 2004) which regulates the importation and all activities

involving invasive alien species

through the issuance of relevant permits. The Act provides the legal

framework for Biosecurity to help

keep harmful organisms out of and

respond if any do make it into the country.

Legislation

This unit conducts inspections to

ensure compliance with legislation.

Compliance unit

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To apply for permits, please contact:

Directorate: Biosecurity

Tel: +27 021 441 2812E-mail: KNelukalo@environment.gov.za

To notify the department of the presenceof alien & invasive species, please contact:

Tel: +27 012 399 9679/+27 021 441 2816

E-mail: AIScompliance@environment.gov.za

Directorate Biosecurity provides

strategic leadership and overall

management of the implementation of biosecurity measures through

its 3 functional sub - units: Permiting

Compliance & Port Control.

Directorate BiosecurityBiosecurity refers to system put in place to prevent the introduction into, as

well as the establishment and spread

of invasive and alien species in the country. The biosecurity system helps

protect South African's economy,

range of social and cultural values.

environment, human health, and a

Permitting unit

This unit is responsible for issuing

of permits and the development of

permit conditions for the importationand all activities involving invasive alienspecies in South Africa.

Biosecurity system’s role is to make sure that the importation and all

activities involving invasive alien

species are regulated through the

issuance of relevant permits.

Port Control unit

This unit is responsible for inspections

at ports of entry. It acts as the first line

of defence at the border for possible introductions of alien and invasive

species into the country.

The unit inspect cargo and passengershand luggage as a control measure

at the ports of entry. Biosecurity

inspectors are deployed at the ports to conduct inspections as well as other

inspection methods such as x -ray

machines and sniffer dogs for the

detection of alien and invasive species as listed in the Notice to the Regulations.