The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted a written request to Liezl van der Merwe, Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (WYPD), to write to Cedric Frolick, Chair of Chairs in Parliament, to approve the inclusion of sanitary products on the committee’s agenda for discussion on 20 March 2026.
The DA welcomes the Chairperson’s willingness to facilitate this engagement and urges the Chair of Chairs to approve the request without delay, so that this urgent matter can be addressed by the committee.
In our request, we have specifically called for Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to appear before the committee to provide a comprehensive explanation of the findings, the regulatory processes followed, and the steps being taken to safeguard public health.
Over the weekend, the Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, stated during a press briefing that sanitary products identified in the University of the Free State (UFS) sanitary product study remain safe for human use. According to the Minister, while endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) were detected in some products, they were found at levels considered not harmful. He further indicated that similar chemicals can be present in everyday items such as toothpaste, household cleaning products, personal care items and cosmetics.
However, the UFS research team found that 16 sanitary product brands tested contained small amounts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The researchers recommended that the identified products undergo additional testing to determine whether the concentrations exceed permissible safety thresholds. The study also warned that long-term exposure to certain EDCs may pose potential health risks, particularly to women and young girls.
In South Africa, regulatory oversight of such products involves bodies including the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, while measurement verification is supported by the National Metrology Institute of South Africa. Current indications are that no product recall is being considered.
Despite these assurances, the DA believes the matter warrants full parliamentary scrutiny. Public confidence in essential hygiene products used by millions of women and girls cannot rest on uncertainty.
The DA will continue to apply parliamentary pressure to ensure transparency and accountability.