(c) The issue of a permit referred to in paragraph (a) may be refused if— (i) the Director-General is not convinced that the applicant is capable of keeping or storing the substance or medicine in a satisfactory manner in order to prevent the loss thereof; (ii) the use of such substance or medicine has not been authorised in terms of this Act; (iii) the Director-General is of the opinion that the annual importation quota for such substance has been exceeded or will be exceeded; (iv) the Director-General is of the opinion that such substance or medicine, of an acceptable quality, is already available in the Republic; or (v) the applicant did not comply with the conditions under which a previous permit was issued to him or her. (d) If an application is refused, the applicant shall be furnished with the reasons for such refusal. (e) A permit issued in terms of this subsection shall be valid for a period of six months from the date of issue thereof. (12) (a) The control on the importation of Scheduled substances shall relate to— (i) any specified Schedule 5, Schedule 6, Schedule 7 or Schedule 8 substance; [Sub-para. (i) substituted by s. 5 (e) of Act No. 59 of 2002.] Wording of Sections (ii) such substances irrespective of the scheduling status allocated thereto, as the Minister may prescribe; (iii) any other substance which becomes subject to international control in terms of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs or the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances entered into by the Republic. (b) The obtaining of import or export permits as required in terms of subsection (11) shall not apply to any preparation which contains a substance as prescribed which is specifically exempted from all control measures for the obtaining of such import or export permits by the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs referred to in paragraph (a). [Para. (b) substituted by s. 5 ( f ) of Act No. 59 of 2002.] Wording of Sections (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), no such importation or exportation shall take place unless authorised by the Director-General. [Para. (c) substituted by s. 5 (g) of Act No. 59 of 2002.] Wording of Sections (13) Any permit issued under subsection (11) shall be subject— (a) to the applicant’s furnishing the registrar annually with the prescribed information; (b) to the requirement that there shall be no deviation from the particulars reflected on the permit: Provided that if the quantity of such substance or medicine to be imported is less than that provided for in the permit, the Director-General shall be informed in writing thereof within 10 days after the importation of such substance or medicine; and (c) to the conditions, as detailed on the permit, having been complied with, the triplicate copy of the permit having been certified by a customs officer or an employee of the S.A. Post Office Limited. (14) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this section— (a) a pharmacist’s assistant shall not handle any specified Schedule 5 or Schedule 6 substance except as contemplated in subsection (5) (a) and (b); and [Para. (a) substituted by s. 5 (h) of Act No. 59 of 2002.] Wording of Sections (b) no nurse or a person registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974, other than a medical practitioner or dentist, may prescribe a medicine or Scheduled substance unless he or she has been authorised to do so by his or her professional council concerned. (15) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this section, the Director-General may, after consultation with the Interim Pharmacy Council of South Africa as referred to in section 2 of the Pharmacy Act, 1974 (Act No. 53 of 1974), issue a permit to any person or organisation performing a health service, authorising such person or organisation to acquire, possess, use or supply any specified Schedule 1, Schedule 2, Schedule 3, Schedule 4 or Schedule 5 substance, and such permit shall be subject to such conditions as the Director-General may determine. (16) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this section— (a) any person may possess a Schedule 0, Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 substance for medicinal purposes; (b) any person may possess a Schedule 3, Schedule 4, Schedule 5 or Schedule 6 substance if he or she is in possession of a prescription issued by an authorised prescriber; [Para. (b) substituted by s. 5 (i) of Act No. 59 of 2002.] Wording of Sections (c) any medicine or scheduled substance may be possessed by a medical practitioner, dentist, veterinarian, practitioner, nurse or other person registered under the Health Professions Act, 1974, or under the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, 1982, for the purposes of administering it in accordance with his or her scope of practice;