Four people were arrested on Saturday, November 4, 2023, along the Bindura-Mukumbura Road for smuggling various items. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) reported that the quartet had managed to avoid detection by Immigration officers at Kanyemba Border Post. The items they were smuggling included bales of clothes (mabhero), skin-lightening creams, shoes, and tea bags. Read the statement:
On 04/11/23, members of the Police who were deployed at a security roadblock at the 40.5 kilometre peg along Bindura-Mukumbura Road intercepted a Scania lorry and arrested , Tinashe Rusike (33), Elliot Hlomayi (48), Nyasha Hlomayi (26) and Edwin Marovanidze for smuggling six bales of teabags, 108 bales of second hand clothes, 61 bales of second hand shoes, 15 bales of java clothes, 15 boxes of skin lightening creams, one box of Apetit medicine and a box of herbicides. The suspects had evaded the immigrations office at Kanyemba Border Post.
The smuggling of second-hand clothes and other goods into Zimbabwe has been an ongoing issue for years. This is because the textile industry in Zimbabwe has collapsed, making the sale of second-hand clothes a profitable business. However, it’s not just clothes that are being smuggled. Some individuals have also been involved in smuggling medicines into the country. This has resulted in a flood of medicines on the streets, as the formal health sector in Zimbabwe is also in a state of collapse and unable to provide necessary medical products to patients.
The act of smuggling not only deprives the nation of much-needed revenue through taxes but also poses a risk to the lives of the general population. Without proper regulation and quality control, smuggled medicines may not meet the required safety standards, potentially endangering the health and well-being of those who rely on them. Factors contributing to the prevalence of smuggling include the collapse of local industries, the lack of access to essential goods within the formal sector, and the economic hardships faced by individuals who may resort to smuggling as a means of survival.
In July 2023, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) adopted a protocol to ban trade in second-hand clothes across the continent. The move aims to promote value-addition and industrialization in the textile industry.
In 2015, Zimbabwe banned the importation of second-hand clothes to protect the local textile industry and promote value addition. However, due to an outcry from vendors’ associations, restrictions were later eased. While the ban has been supported by the industry, informal vendors argue that it would hurt their livelihoods.
Approximately 95% of textiles in Zimbabwe are imported, and the country exports around 85% of cotton lint due to a lack of local investments. Zimbabwe, as a cotton producer, used to have a thriving textile industry but now faces competition from imports and a lack of investment. Traders typically source second-hand clothes from neighbouring countries, sometimes through smuggling.
The East African Community has encouraged member states to buy clothes and shoes made in the region to boost local industries, with Rwanda being the only country to implement the plan through high import taxes.