The country may not be spared and the girl child may be exposed to dangerous chemicals that could render them infertile or unable to produce children in future.
As reports circulate across South Africa about hormone-disrupting chemicals detected in certain sanitary towels, attention has turned sharply inward, not only to the products themselves, but particularly as the country’s standards authority currently lacks the legal power to compel testing or enforce certification of imported products.
The regional alarm stems from a peer-reviewed scientific study conducted by researchers at the University of the Free State in South Africa. The study, published in the international journal Science of the Total Environment, examined a selection of commonly available sanitary towels and pantyliners purchased from retail outlets.
Researchers tested the products for the presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates, bisphenols and parabens.
According to the published findings, traces of such chemicals were detected in all samples analysed. The researchers emphasised that the concentrations measured were generally low, but cautioned that repeated, long-term exposure through monthly use warranted further scrutiny and regulatory attention. They also noted that some of the chemicals may not have been intentionally added, but could migrate from plastics, adhesives or packaging materials during manufacturing.
At the centre of this pressing national issue is the Eswatini Standards Authority (SWASA), the statutory body established to develop national standards and oversee quality assurance.
However, its enforcement mandate was fundamentally altered under the Standards and Quality Act, 2023.
SWASA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ncamiso Mhlanga explained that the 2023 legislation rendered the Authority’s core responsibilities voluntary.
While SWASA continues to formulate standards, companies are no longer legally compelled to submit their products for testing and certification. Mhlanga indicated that participation depends entirely on whether a company willingly approaches the authority. According to Mhlanga, the voluntary framework extends to laboratory verification of imported goods before they enter the country. There is no overarching legal requirement obliging importers to subject products to independent testing prior to placing them on shop shelves.
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He further stated that SWASA no longer possesses the authority to block non-compliant goods at the border or remove products from retail outlets if they fail to meet established standards. Those enforcement powers, he said, were removed under the 2023 Act. While the Authority can provide technical support to line ministries, it cannot compel compliance or take direct enforcement action.
This regulatory limitation has come into sharper focus following scientific findings widely reported in South Africa, where researchers detected endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenols in various menstrual products. Researchers noted that although the quantities detected were small, the concern relates to repeated exposure over many years and the potential cumulative effect on the hormonal system.
For the country, the concern extends beyond sanitary towels. It raises broader questions about the country’s ability to monitor and verify the safety of imported goods in an economy that is heavily dependent on products manufactured outside its borders. From food items and cosmetics to personal hygiene products and electrical goods, the majority of consumer products available in Eswatini originate from other countries. In such an environment, effective oversight at the point of entry is critical to consumer protection.
Mhlanga indicated that SWASA has formally appealed to Parliament to review the current legislative framework. He argued that the voluntary compliance model does not adequately protect consumers, as many products may circulate within the kingdom without ever being tested for conformity to recognised standards. Parliament, he said, is working on addressing the matter, but until legislative amendments are done, the Authority remains constrained.
In the interim, responsibility for regulating specific categories of goods rests with line ministries. In the case of sanitary towels and other health-related imports, oversight falls primarily under the Ministry of Health. SWASA’s role, according to its leadership, is supportive rather than supervisory.
The situation has unsettled many consumers, who had assumed that products available in retail outlets had undergone mandatory quality checks. The revelation that testing and certification may depend largely on voluntary submission has prompted questions about accountability and enforcement.
Meanwhile, a health professional who commented on condition of anonymity cautioned against panic. The professional stated that there is currently no confirmed evidence that specific brands sold in the country pose immediate harm.
“The mere presence of certain chemicals does not automatically equate to adverse health outcomes, as risk is influenced by exposure levels and duration,” the health professional said. However, he acknowledged that without systematic and compulsory local testing, providing definitive reassurance becomes challenging.
“Until the law is clarified and enforcement powers strengthened, the pressing reality remains that Eswatini may not be insulated from risks identified elsewhere,” he said.
He added that the issue was no longer simply about what is in a packet on a supermarket shelf, but about whether the country’s regulatory architecture is robust enough to ensure that what reaches consumers meets the standards they expect and deserve.
No Comment Yet, We’re Yet to Engage SA Counterpart – Govt
The Ministry of Health has taken a cautious approach in response to recent concerns over hormone-disrupting chemicals detected in sanitary towels.
Nsindiso Tsabedze, the ministry’s communications officer, said officials were not yet in a position to provide detailed comment, explaining that they still needed to engage their counterparts in South Africa for further information about the study and its findings.
“When it comes to this matter, we require more details before we can meaningfully respond,” Tsabedze said.
When asked whether the ministry had taken any steps in response to the concerns, he confirmed that no specific action had been implemented so far.
The ministry’s measured response highlights the ongoing uncertainty over how to address the potential risks posed by imported menstrual products, even as women and girls across the region continue to follow the developments with concern.
What Are Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals?
Hormone-disrupting chemicals, or endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), are substances that interfere with the body’s hormone system and may contribute to reproductive, metabolic and developmental health issues.
EDCs are natural or synthetic substances that can mimic, block or interfere with hormones in the body, which are produced by glands such as the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands. Hormones regulate essential biological processes including growth, reproduction, metabolism and fertility. Even small disruptions in hormone levels can have significant effects on development and overall health.
