For full information on the salt reduction program in South Africa, please visit http://www.heartfoundation.co.za/salt-watch

March 2013

South Africa has been hailed internationally for its recent groundbreaking legislation signed on 18 March 2013 by Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, which will make salt reduction in the food industry mandatory, with initial reductions in 2016, and further reductions enforced by 2018. The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa has been a leading stakeholder in advocating for this important legislation.

Please click here to view a comment published in the Lancet - Population health in South Africa: a view from the salt mines

Launch of Salt Watch

The Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSF) chose World Salt Awareness Week 2013 to announce the launch a new lobby group called Salt Watch. Led by the HSF, the group includes experts in the field of salt reduction from organisations such as the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA), the Nutrition Society of South Africa (NSSA) and the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa.

Salt Watch is working in association with World Action on Salt and Health (WASH) and is set to launch a major national awareness campaign to help reduce population salt intake. It has already received widespread media coverage in national newspapers and on multiple radio stations around the country. Its work will complement government legislation to reduce salt in South African food. Many role players in the food industry are supportive of the new legislation and have already begun implementing salt reduction strategies in food manufacturing.  

July 2012

South Africa salt regulations published in the Government gazette for public comment (for 3 months)

Please click here to follow link 

September 2011

South Africa has set targets to radically reduce NCDs including a target to reduce salt intake to less than 5 g/day by per person by 2020. This reduction will be achieved by regulation of the food industry.

Professor Graham Macgregor, Chairman of World Action on Salt and Health (WASH) says:

“South Africa has made a pioneering declaration on NCDs following on from an NCD summit meeting in Johannesburg 12-13 September 2011, ahead of the UN High Level Meeting on NCDs to be held in New York next week. South Africa will reduce the mean population intake of salt from the current level of 8-10g per day to less than 5 grams per day by 2020. Dr Motsoaledi, Minister of Health for South Africa stated that this would be done by a public health campaign and regulation of the food industry.

Please to view South African Declaration on NCDs

Please click here [DOC 36KB] to view WASH statement of support