South-Africa

The Swedish Chemicals Agency’s cooperation with South Africa has been ongoing for more than ten years, with the aim of strengthening regulatory capacity and improving coordination between authorities to establish conditions for a safe management of chemicals and to facilitate international trade.

A central part of the cooperation has been support for South Africa’s work to adopt and implement the GHS through workshops and training activities, primarily in cooperation with the Department of Employment and Labour. These activities have supported the development of legislation, clarified institutional roles, and strengthened understanding of GHS requirements among enforcement authorities and other relevant stakeholders. GHS is now fully implemented within the legislative area of occupational health and safety.

The upcoming work in South Africa includes GHS training together with South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, with the aim of strengthening capacity in chemical classification, labelling, and the safe use of chemicals in the agricultural sector. We are currently in the planning stage of the activity, with a tentative start in September 2026. The collaboration is funded by the Swedish Government via the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency