According to a
Business Report article, the
Consumer Protection Bill has hit a delay due to the fact that thorough consultation around a clause about genetically modified organisms (GMO) was not carried out.
In plain English, the clause basically says that all products must have a label which mentions whether they contain any genetically modified ingredients:
any person who produces, supplies, imports or packages any prescribed goods must display on or in association with the packaging of those goods a notice in the prescribed manner and form that discloses the presence of any genetically modified ingredients or components of those goods in accordance with applicable regulations.
According to
Democratic Alliance MP Juanita Terblanche, the agricultural community was concerned about the GMO aspect of the bill. There has been some controversy over this clause already: the agriculture department and the health department were consulted when it was originally inserted in the bill. The clause was later removed and then put back. Terblanche quoted a letter from the Agricultural Business Chamber chief executive John Purchase, who said the chamber had "serious concerns" regarding the reintroduction of a clause making the labelling of genetically modified products and foods mandatory.
As a section 76 bill, the legislation is required by the constitution to have received the appropriate mandates from the provinces. Committee members have agreed that support should be sought from all nine provinces by letter. This decision to reopen the consultation process means the legislation is unlikely to go through parliament this year.
