The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has accused certain suppliers in the textile industry of not complying with the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) following allegations of cheap textile imports, bribery and corruption.
In a statement on Wednesday, Thezi Mabuza, NCC acting commissioner, said there had been attempts to bribe customs officials after it was discovered that certain suppliers imported cheap and counterfeit textiles into the country.
“While government encourages people to start their own businesses, the NCC will never tolerate acts of bribery by unscrupulous suppliers. Our investigators will continue to conduct these inspections to ensure that suppliers do comply with the CPA,” the commission said.
According to Mabuza, the country’s textile industry is under severe pressure due to the influx of cheap imports, with many retail outlets in South Africa selling products using misleading information.
“This has resulted in local manufacturers suffering enormously as South African businesses have begun importing cheaper textiles and clothing from foreign countries,” the NCC continued.
“As such, most retail outlets operating in South Africa are selling imported merchandise with misleading labels, which state that goods or finished products are made in South Africa when in fact they are not.”
Section 24(5) of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) states that all merchandise imported into South Africa must have a permanent and clear label indicating the country of origin and any other required information. The NCC is the primary regulator of consumer-business relations in South Africa. – Bjorn Vorster.