Prior to joining CGCSA in March, Makhoane worked for the Gauteng Department of Health. She was the deputy-director within the Public Health Directorate, responsible for the management and control of communicable diseases, particularly foodborne diseases.

“I left the National Department of Health to join the Gauteng Department of Health in 2008 as part of the Department’s 2010 FIFA World Cup Office, which was responsible for coordinating preparations to provide health and medical services in Gauteng during the soccer world cup,” she says.

Makhoane had been with the National Department of Health for eight years when she moved to the Gauteng province, after joining the Directorate: Food Control in 2000 as an assistant director. She says: “At that time, I was responsible for regulations and guidelines relating to microbiological standards for foodstuff, hygiene requirements for food premises and other related matters, which was my first exposure to the food regulatory environment. My responsibilities involved working closely with other food control authorities both nationally and internationally, the food industry, the academic sector as well as research institutions.”

In 2005, Makhoane was promoted within the same Directorate to the position of National Codex Contact Point Manager. She served as the point of contact between South Africa and the Codex Alimentarius Commission Secretariat, as well as other Codex member countries. She was also responsible for coordinating all Codex activities within South Africa. “During this time I also supervised two staff members who were responsible for matters relating to Regulatory Nutrition and regulations relating to the labelling and advertising of foodstuffs,” she says.

The Food Safety Initiative has three key domains: food safety, nutrition and food-regulatory related matters. The business unit collaborates closely with relevant national authorities, stakeholders and experts in order to provide objective, independent scientific advice to its members, as well as assistance in terms of related regulation.

The unit is also involved in risk communication to its members and aims to encourage a high level of consumer protection to enhance consumer confidence in the safety of the food supplied to South African consumers.

With her passion for food safety, Makhoane subscribes to the principle that food safety is non-negotiable. She supports efforts towards collaboration between industry, food regulators and all other relevant stakeholders in ensuring that the protection of human health is paramount when it comes to food that are manufactured and sold within South Africa.