By Ragheema Mclean
The Muslim Judicial Council Halal Trust (MJCHT) has announced a noteworthy milestone with its recent acquisition of the ISO/IEC 17065:2012 accreditation.
The MJCHT is the first Halal body to gain this certification in South Africa.
This internationally recognized accreditation establishes stringent criteria for certifying bodies, ensuring impartiality and competence in certifying products, processes, and services, thereby bolstering the credibility and reliability of their certifications.
Moulana Zakariyah Philander, Chief of Operations at the MJCHT, hailed the achievement, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to adhering to Halal standards.
“We are excited to announce the attainment of the MJC Halal Trust’s ISO/IEC 17065:2012 accreditation, marking a significant milestone in our unwavering commitment to upholding Halal standards.”
“The International Organization for Standardization is the highest level of standardization body. It brings global experts together to agree on the best way of doing things for anything from making a product to managing a process.”
The accreditation was granted by the South African National Accreditation Systems (SANAS), the authorized accreditation body in South Africa.
Meanwhile, while the MJCHT develops its standards based on Shariah principles, Philander clarified that SANAS is a secular body and that it audits their processes to ensure alignment with international standards.
“It is important to note that our standards are developed by the Ullama and by the Shariah experts. However, our processes and the assurance that goes behind it, as well as how we interact with corporates and the way we scrutinize corporates – SANAS is interested in that aspect.”
The MJCHT offers various Halal certification schemes, including abattoirs, food outlets, imports/exports, production plants, supermarkets, and distribution plants.
Beyond the benefits to consumers, the accreditation of the MJCHT holds positive implications for the South African Halal industry, enhancing the competitiveness of Halal products in the global market and fostering opportunities for exports and economic growth.
VOC News
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