Council Decisions
(October 2022, February & May 2023)
This article presents a summary of selected matters discussed and decisions taken by the South African Pharmacy Council (‘Council’) during its meetings held on 12/13 October 2022, 15/16 February and 17/18 May 2023. Other matters on the operations of the Office of the Registrar and Council are covered in the articles featured in this issue of the Pharmaciae.
Services for which a pharmacist may levy a fee, 2023
Council annually adjusts the fee that a pharmacist may levy on services provided, to keep up with inflation. At the February 2023 meeting, Council decided to increase the fees a pharmacist may levy by an inflation-linked rate of 7,5% in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI)’s headline inflation rate for September 2022.
Accreditation of short courses
The Office of the Registrar received an application for the accreditation/approval of a course titled “Dispensing of Medicines by Healthcare Professionals” from the Pharmacy Development Academy. At its meeting in February 2023, Council resolved that this course be accepted and approved.
The Office of the Registrar received applications for the accreditation/approval of an Immunisation and Injection Technique course from the University of the Witwatersrand and Tshwane University of Technology. At its meeting in February 2023, Council resolved that these courses be accepted and approved.
Council Term of Office
It was noted that there was a need to correct its term-of-office published in terms of Board Notice 184 of 2018, published on 21 December 2028, regarding the dates pertaining to the 5-year term of office of Council. After discussion with the Minister of Health and at its meeting in February 2023, Council resolved to correct the term of office to 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023, in line with the Office of the Registrar’s financial and operational calendars. The correction was published through Board Notice 43 of 2023, “Correction Notice: Election/Appointment of Council Members (BN184/2018)”.
Expungement of Committee of Formal Inquiry (CFI) judgements
Registered persons may apply and pay the required fee for Council to issue a Certificate of Good Standing. The majority of such applications for Certificates of Good Standing are for purposes of applying for registration in another country. The underlying purpose of a Certificate of Good Standing is to confirm that the person registered is in good standing with Council in that no disciplinary proceedings under the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974, have been recorded against the person.
If a person has been found guilty in terms of a Formal Inquiry, and a penalty has been imposed in terms of Section 45 of the Pharmacy Act, a Certificate of Good Standing cannot be issued.
A question was raised as to whether a judgement and penalty imposed in terms of Section 45 of the Pharmacy Act should prevent a person from ever being able to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing, and should the judgement and penalty imposed remain on the persons professional record in perpetuity.
After considering that the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977, allows for a person (in certain circumstances) to apply to have their criminal record expunged from the criminal record database of the Criminal Record Centre of the South African Police Services after a period of 10 years, the Council resolved that for purposes of providing a Certificate of Good Standing, the judgement as a result of a formal inquiry shall automatically be expunged after five (5) years from the date of the judgement, and if a person has been permanently removed from the register as a result of a formal inquiry judgement, the judgement records shall automatically be expunged after 10 years. Furthermore, a person applying for a Certificate of Good Standing who has a formal inquiry judgement, may after a period of two (2) years from the date of the judgement, apply for the expungement of the judgement, subject to certain conditions as determined by Council.
Removal of registration/recording of pharmacies as a result of non-compliance with Good Pharmacy Practice and other pharmacy legislation
In terms of Regulation 72 of the Regulations relating to registration of persons and maintenance of registers, Council may direct the Registrar to remove from the register of pharmacies any pharmacy which does not comply with any of the conditions of registration of such pharmacy. At its meeting in October 2022, Council deliberated on the removal of several pharmacies for reasons ranging from non-compliance with the Rules relating to good pharmacy practice and other legislation to the non-payment of fees. It was decided that nineteen (19) of these pharmacies would be removed from the register based on the Guidelines for Removal of Pharmacy Registration/Recording as a Result of Non-Compliance with Good Pharmacy Practice and Other Pharmacy Legislation, as published in Board Notice 63 of 2020.
In February 2023, Council resolved to remove a further five (5) pharmacies from the register of pharmacies in terms of Board Notice 63 of 2020.
In May 2023, Council resolved to remove a further three (3) pharmacies from the register of pharmacies in terms of Board Notice 63 of 2020.
Responsible Pharmacists and Pharmacy Owners are reminded to ensure that their pharmacies comply with all relevant legislation and that the pharmacy account is up to date with the SAPC to avoid removal of the recording/registration of their pharmacy.
Applicants with a qualification obtained outside of South Africa
The Office of the Registrar receives applications from candidates with foreign qualifications who wish to be registered with Council as pharmacists and pharmacy support personnel. Applicants are required to submit supporting documents for evaluation by the Pre-registration Committee. Upon approval, applicants who have applied to be registered as pharmacists are required to write a professional examination, prior to their registration as a Pharmacist Intern.
At its October 2022 meeting, Council resolved that:
- Mr Siboleke Tiyabantu, whose country of origin is South Africa and whose pharmacy qualification was issued by Manipal University, India, be registered as a Pharmacist Intern after successfully completing the Professional Examinations. He will also be required to complete a minimum of twelve (12) months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy, and he shall be required to complete the pre-registration evaluation successfully prior to registration as a pharmacist.
At its meeting in February 2023, Council resolved that:
- Subject to the favourable confirmation of a SAQA verification certificate, Mr Leepile Moalahi Rapulana and Mr Tlhokomelo Joseph Khoeli, whose country of origin is South Africa and whose pharmacy qualification was issued by Manipal University, be registered as Pharmacist Interns after successfully completing the Professional Examinations. They will also be required to complete a minimum of twelve (12) months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy, and they shall be required to complete the pre-registration evaluation successfully prior to registration as pharmacists.
- Candidates listed in the table below, who meet the requirements of Regulation 17 of the Regulations relating to the registration of persons and the maintenance of registers, be registered as Pharmacist Interns after successfully completing the Professional Examinations. They will also be required to complete a minimum of twelve (12) months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy, and they shall be required to complete the pre-registration evaluation successfully prior to registration as pharmacists.

- Subject to the favourable confirmation of SAQA verification certificates, the candidates listed in the table below, be registered as Pharmacist Interns after successfully completing the Professional Examinations. They will also be required to complete a minimum of twelve (12) months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy, and they shall be required to complete the pre-registration evaluation successfully prior to registration as pharmacists.

- The South African candidates listed in the table below who meet the requirements of Regulation 17 of the Regulations relating to the registration of persons and the maintenance of registers, with the exception of Regulation 17(1)(c)(ii) where they cannot meet this requirement, be registered as Pharmacist Interns after successfully completing the Professional Examinations. They will also be required to complete a minimum of twelve (12) months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy, and they shall be required to complete the pre-registration evaluation successfully prior to registration as pharmacists.

At its meeting in May 2023, Council resolved that:
- Subject to the favourable confirmation of a SAQA verification certificate, Ms Ntsoaki Nyane, whose country of origin is Lesotho and whose pharmacy qualification was issued by the National University of Lesotho, be registered as a Pharmacist Intern after successfully completing the Professional Examination. She will also be required to complete a minimum of twelve (12) months’ internship in an institutional or community pharmacy, and shall be required to complete the pre-registration evaluation successfully prior to registration as a pharmacist.