Every herbal supplement on South African shelves carries a line like this one:
"This unregistered medicine has not been evaluated by SAHPRA for its quality, safety or intended use."
It sounds alarming, but it describes a regulatory backlog, not a failed test. SAHPRA (the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority) licenses the companies that make and distribute complementary medicines, but as of 2026 it had not yet completed registration of any complementary-medicine product. The disclaimer tells you that no official evaluation has happened.
What claims are allowed
Health supplements may make only low-risk claims — wording like "supports", "contributes to" or "maintains". A product that claims to treat, cure or prevent a disease, or says "clinically proven", is going beyond what is allowed for unregistered products. Treat those claims as a warning sign about the seller.
What a good label shows
- The plant’s Latin name and the part used (root, leaf, seed, bark).
- Amount per capsule, and whether it is whole powder or an extract (and if an extract, what it is standardised to).
- Directions and a maximum daily amount.
- Cautions: pregnancy, medicines, conditions.
- A batch number and best-before date.
- The name and physical address of the company responsible.
What to ask a seller
A reputable seller can send you a certificate of analysis for the batch you bought, showing identity, microbiology and heavy-metal results. If they can’t, shop elsewhere.
Sources
Last reviewed 19 October 2026 by Spicewell editorial team. How we write our guides