Frequently Asked Questions
 
What is the registration process?                                                          

Certification, or registration as it is called in the South Africa, is done by a registrar organization such as SANAS. It is accomplished through a series of document reviews and facility visits and audits of the organization's quality system and operations to determine their conformance to the requirements of the applicable ISO standard.

In brief, the auditors look at a variety of issues, including, but not limited to the applicant organization's administration, design, and production processes, quality system documentation, personnel training records, management reviews, and internal quality audits reports, etc.

Before the audit takes place, will Africert provide us with an audit plan and audit schedule?

Yes! We will match the audit requirements to your organizational structure and provide a well-defined audit plan and a detailed audit schedule for your review well in advance of the actual audit.

Do Africert certificates have expiration dates which will mean our company will have to go through the process and expense of re-certifying again at some point in the future?

Although all certificates issued have an expiration date, Africert offers continuous registration as long as the facility is compliant to the requirements of the applicable standard.

Does Africert charge extra for schedule adjustments?

No! Africert realizes that your time is very important and the audit schedule may need to be modified due to unforeseen circumstances. There is no charge to adjust the schedule with advance notice.

How much does registration cost?

This depends on a variety of factors. It is generally based on the structure of the organization, number of employees, type of processes performed, number of sites, and the ISO standard to which certification is desired.

Does Africert charge for travel time for the auditors to come to our site and does this include handling fees?

Africert does not charge for travel time as long as the travel is within the South Africa and there are no extra handling fees. All expenses are billed at cost without any additional charges.

When we apply, can we contact the assigned Lead Auditor before the registration audit begins?

Yes! The dialogue between you and your Lead Auditor is very important as this interaction will help coordinate the entire registration program. Your assigned Lead Auditor will be a valuable resource to guide you through the pre-registration process.

During the audit some information will be generated that may be sensitive and proprietary, how can we be sure it will remain confidential?

Africert has confidentiality agreements with all our auditors and its staff. Any information produced by the audit remains confidential and guarded to the fullest extent.