All complaints should be reported to the Registrar of Act No. 36 of 1947 and marked for attention to the administration officer of Inspection Services. The written complaints must be sent via email to Mrs Sindile Matlala - SindileM@Dalrrd.gov.za.
A copy of the document and the relevant forms have also been uploaded to the AFMA website for your convenience.
DALRRD Procedure for Reporting
Introduction
The general public, farming communities, manufacturers of feed and agricultural input supplies, provincial municipalities, local government, and Act 36 of 1947 inspection services under the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, need to join forces and fight the illegal import, usage, advertisement and sale of farm feeds, pet food, fertilizers, agricultural remedies, stock remedies & pest control operators without licenses.
There is a need for all parties to ensure that an effective and accountable society can work together with the Agricultural Input Control (AIC) division of DALRRD to curb these illegal activities.
The DALRRD inspection services of AIC do not have permanent officials in all the South African provinces to ensure proper monitoring, and based on those principles, industry and the farming communities need to become more involved and implement self-regulating mechanisms whereby members can participate via a structured complaints reporting procedure to facilitate improved monitoring of farm feeds and agricultural inputs.
Purpose
To involve or bring together the role players by means of an integrated approach, to increase co-operation, to improve interaction, and lastly to reduce the number of transgressors.
All complaints should be reported to the Registrar of Act No. 36 of 1947, and marked for attention to the Senior administration officer of Inspection Services by sending a written complaint by fax at 012 319 6867 or email to IrisM@daff.gov.za and cc SindileM@daff.gov.za.
The complaint should include the following information:
- Name of the complainant
- Contact details, including a postal address.
- Description of the complaint or alleged contravention,
- The name of the alleged offender, postal and physical address of the offender (physical address is very important) and a telephone number of the alleged accused if possible.
- In the absence of the items listed in the first bullet, one can call the Inspection administrations on the following numbers: Tel: 012 319 7174 / 012 319 7310 to lodge a complaint.
- The complaint information can be captured in the prescribed forms which will be provided on the website in the following categories:
All complaints regarding the illegal use of products must have the following:
FORM A
- Alleged registration number
- Batch number
- Trade name or trademark
- Invoice or receipt, if available
- Retail name of where the items were purchased
All complaints regarding unregistered agric-/stock remedies, fertilizers and pest control operators must have the following:
FORM B
- Trade name or trademark
- Invoice or receipt, if available
- Retail name of where the items are sold or were purchased
All complaints regarding illegal importation of feeds, agric-/stock remedies, fertilizers, & pest control operators must have the following:
FORM C
- Importers name
- Trade name or trademark
- Port of entry, if available
All the complaints regarding illegal advert of feeds, agric-/stock remedies, fertilizers, & pest control operators must have the following:
FORM D
- Trade name or trademark
- Invoice or receipt, if available
- Retail name where the items were purchased
- Magazine, newspaper, broadcaster etc. where the product was advertised
Acknowledgements of complaints
- All complaints will be acknowledged in writing within 3 working days
- Each complaint will receive a reference number.
- The complainant can contact the responsible regional manager (as indicated on the acknowledgement letter) to enquire about the progress on the case, 30 days post reporting it in writing to the senior admin officer of Inspection Services.
- Complainants lodging their complaints telephonically will be required to provide the necessary information to complete a required form and lead to subsequent investigation.
Time frames to conclude complaints
- All complaints are assessed and rated on a risk-based evaluation system by the regional managers.
- < 1 MONTH = Cases of low risk and complexity
- 3 MONTHS = Cases of medium risk and complexity
- 6 MONTHS = Cases of high risk and complexity
It is the intention of Inspection Services to finalize all cases within the set time frames, but dependence on cooperation of other parties, evidence and analysis, budgets and other state agencies, may increase the complexity of a case and influence the time frame of conclusion.
Finalization of complaints
- Regional managers will communicate with the complainants once the matter has been finalized by the inspectors of Act 36.
- Outcome:
- The case can either be referred to the NPA or SAPS for a decision, or
- The complainant will be informed of the findings and finalization of the matter by the Regional manager (as per written findings of the Act 36 inspector who did the investigation).
- Dispute:
- Where a complainant is not satisfied on the finalization of a matter by an Act 36 Regional Inspector then he/she may in writing dispute the matter to the Head of Inspection Services (giftm@daff.gov.za) and provide reason(s) for such a dispute.
- The Head of Inspection Services is to respond to the complainant.
Conclusion
Together we can make change to improve compliance for the benefit of our country.
* Also see AFMA Early Warning System as an alternative system to report a potential high risk feed material/product.
