An EHP, used to be and even nowadays is sometimes called a “health inspector”, and is a qualified professional registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) who is empowered and appointed under various legislations by their employer to identify, assess, monitor and manage environmental health risk factors in residential, business, industrial premises, health facilities, places of care, education, vacant premises, and other premises.

EHPs are employed in NGOs, the private sector, and public sector institutions.

All complaints should be lodged with environmental health offices in district and metropolitan municipalities, except for complaints relating to the hazardous substances control function, which must be lodged with environmental health offices in provincial health departments.

Food-related public complaints must be investigated within 24 hours of receipt.

• Complaints regarded as urgent or posing an immediate danger to human health must be investigated within 24 hours of receipt.
• All other environmental health-related public complaints must be investigated within 72 (seventy-two) hours of receipt.
• The period of resolving the complaint differs and is dependent on the nature, complexity, degree, and extent of the circumstance/matter at hand. Furthermore, it should be noted that some complaints might have to be referred to other relevant departments for action and resolution e.g., illegal dumping, no refuse collection, blocked sewer, etc.

Escalation must be done to senior management from lower level to higher level of government as follows: - Municipal Environmental Health Senior/Executive Manager → Municipal/City Manager →   Provincial Health Head of Department → Minister of Health

• Certificate of Acceptability - District and Metropolitan Municipality- Municipal/Environmental Health Services Unit
• Certificate of Competence - District and Metropolitan Municipality- Municipal/Environmental Health Services Unit
• Health Permits - District and Metropolitan Municipality- Municipal/Environmental Health Services Unit
• License under Hazardous Substances Act - Provincial Department of Health, Environmental Health Services Unit
• Human Remains Import and Export Permit - National Department of Health - Humanremainspermits@health.gov.za

Inspections are scheduled based on the degree of potential public health risk, the rationale for an inspection, and the availability of an EHP. The expected date of an inspection will vary

No. EHPs visit the premises unannounced unless, under certain circumstances, an appointment is made. The visits must be unannounced to ensure that owners or persons in charge of the premises always maintain the premises in a satisfactory condition to comply with the relevant laws, and to prevent the premises from being prepared in anticipation of an expected visit by an EHP.