When you buy cannabis from a reputable South African dispensary, you should receive — or be able to request — a Certificate of Analysis (CoA). This is a lab report issued by an independent testing facility that tells you exactly what's in the product: cannabinoid profile, terpenes, and crucially, what isn't in it (pesticides, heavy metals, moulds).
Most people never read them. That's a mistake.
What a CoA contains
A legitimate South African cannabis CoA from an accredited lab will include:
Cannabinoid profile
This is the most-read section. It lists percentages of:
Total THC formula:
Total THC = THC + (THCA × 0.877)Terpene profile
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that give strains their smell and modify the effect. Myrcene (earthy), Limonene (citrus), and Pinene (pine) are the most common. A CoA from a premium lab will include this panel.
Contaminant testing
This is where it matters most for safety:
Red flags to watch for
No lab name or accreditation number
A legitimate CoA comes from an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory. If the report doesn't name the lab or doesn't show an accreditation reference, it's not worth the paper it's printed on.
Results that are suspiciously round
"30.0% THC, 0.0% everything else" is a sign the numbers were invented. Real results have decimal variance.
No batch or sample ID
Every tested batch should have a unique ID that lets you trace the sample back to the test. No ID means the report could be recycled from a different (and possibly better) batch.
CoA older than 12 months
Lab results degrade in relevance as product ages and storage conditions change. A CoA more than a year old tells you very little about what you're buying today.
Why SA-specific labs matter
International CoAs (from US or European labs) are not directly comparable. SA's climate, soil, and cultivation practices differ, and local accreditation standards matter for local regulatory purposes. Insist on reports from South African labs where possible.
How to verify a CoA
Most accredited SA labs provide a QR code or reference number on the document that lets you pull the result directly from their database. If the CoA you're holding doesn't have this — or if scanning the QR takes you somewhere other than the lab's official domain — treat it as unverified.
At Galactica Express Cannabis, stores on our platform are required to hold current lab documentation for listed products. If you ever want to see a CoA for a product you're considering, message the store directly through the app — any legitimate store will share it without hesitation.