A pharmacist is a health professional who must earn a qualifying degree and be committed to high standards of competence and professionalism. Pharmacists are required to be specialists in the knowledge of drug-related products, and need to continually further their education as new medicines and medical treatments develop.
In terms of the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974, the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) is responsible for the registrations of pharmacy professionals as well as keeping the registers of such persons. To safeguard the public, registration with the SAPC is a pre-requisite to practice the pharmacy profession. It is a criminal offence to practice pharmacy without registering with the SAPC.
Scope of Practice of a Pharmacist
The following services and/or acts are regarded to be acts specially pertaining to a pharmacist –
- The provision of pharmaceutical care by taking responsibility for the patient’s medicine-related needs and being accountable for meeting these needs, which shall include but not be limited to the following functions:
- evaluation of a patient’s medicine-related needs by determining the indication, safety and effectiveness of the therapy;
- dispensing of any medicine or scheduled substance on the prescription of a person authorised to prescribe medicine;
- furnishing of information and advice to any person with regard to the use of medicine;
- determining patient compliance with the therapy and follow-up to ensure that the patient’s medicine-related needs are being met; and
- the provision of pharmacist-initiated therapy;
- the compounding, manipulation, preparation or packaging of any medicine or scheduled substance or the supervision thereof;
- the manufacturing of any medicine or scheduled substance or the supervision thereof;
- the purchasing, acquiring, importing, keeping, possessing, using, releasing, storage, packaging, repackaging, supplying or selling of any medicine or scheduled substance or the supervision thereof; and
- the application for the registration of a medicine in accordance with the Medicines Act.
The scope of practice of a pharmacist is as follows:
- the acts specially pertaining to the profession of a pharmacist as prescribed above;
- the formulation of any medicine for the purposes of registration as a medicine;
- the distribution of any medicine or scheduled substance;
- the re-packaging of medicines;
- the initiation and conducting of pharmaceutical research and development; and
- the promotion of public health.
Follow the links to download application forms listed below:
South African pharmacists
2026 Application form – Academinc Record & Diploma
2026 Application form – Certificate of Good Standing
2026 Application form – Specialist Pharmacist
2026 Application form – Change of Facility for Performance of Community Service
2026 Application form – Duplicate Certfificate for Persons
2026 Application form – Supplementary Training
2026 Application form – Restoration – Voluntary Removal
2026 Application form – Restoration – Involuntary removal
2026 Application form – Change of designation
2026 Application form – Completion of Community Service
2026 Application form – Update Personal Information
Foreign graduate pharmacists
2026 Application form – Evaluation of Credentials obtained outside SA (non SA Citizens)
2026 Application form – Evaluation of Credentials obtained outside SA (SA Citizens)
2026 Study guide Professional Exam
2026 Brochure Foreign Graduate Registration_Guidelines
2026 Application for Temporary Registration for foreigners for volunteer service