Source: Bureau Veritas blocks 200 million hazardous products from entering Zimbabwe – herald
Business Reporter
MORE than 200 million units of substandard and potentially life-threatening products have been intercepted and blocked from entering the Zimbabwean market, a senior official has revealed.
The staggering figure was disclosed by Tendai Jeremiah Malunga, Bureau Veritas Contracts Manager for East and Southern Africa, during a Zimpapers Public Lecture on Counterfeit Products held at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) last week.
Mr Malunga confirmed that the interceptions were made through the Consignment Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) trade facilitation programme, a mandatory inspection scheme designed to ensure that imported goods meet national safety and quality standards before they cross the border.
“As Bureau Veritas, we have been instrumental in blocking more than 200 million units of substandard products through the CBCA trade facilitation programme,” Mr Malunga told an audience of government officials, academics, and industry stakeholders.
Addressing the gathering, which included the HIT Vice Chancellor Professor Quinton Kanhukamwe and the Permanent Secretary for Industry and Commerce Dr Thomas Utete Ushe, Mr Malunga warned that the influx of counterfeit goods is not merely a matter of brand protection, but a critical issue of national security and public health.
“Counterfeit goods pose a severe threat to public health and safety. Fake electronics can explode, fake car parts can fail during critical moments, and fake pharmaceuticals may contain harmful, inactive, or toxic ingredients,” he said.
Beyond the physical danger to consumers, the Bureau Veritas chief highlighted the systemic damage caused by illicit trade, noting that counterfeiting frequently funds organised crime and global criminal syndicates. He added that the Zimbabwean economy is being “crippled” by these products, which destroy legitimate jobs, violate intellectual property rights, and allow criminals to bypass taxes, thereby robbing the treasury of funds intended for public services.
The revelation comes as the Government of Zimbabwe seeks to tighten its borders against poor-quality imports. Mr Malunga emphasised that Bureau Veritas remains committed to supporting the state in building a “robust national quality infrastructure policy.”
He identified conformity assessment and enhanced market surveillance as the key pillars required to protect the domestic market.
“Blocking these products is not just about protecting brand names; it is about protecting our safety, our economy, and our values,” he concluded.
The CBCA programme, which has faced both support from local manufacturers and scrutiny from some cross-border traders since its inception, remains the primary shield against the dumping of hazardous goods in the country. The blocking of 200 million units represents one of the most significant data points released recently regarding the scale of the challenge facing Zimbabwe’s regulatory authorities.
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