Southern African
Development Community
(SADC) trade ministers will
meet “very soon” to discuss the
way forward on Zimbabwe’s
ban on imports from its
neighbouring countries –
which is in direct violation of
the bloc’s trade protocol.
It’s just over a year since
Zimbabwe implemented
its controversial Statutory
Instrument (SI) 64 banning
a large number of imported
household goods, mainly
fuels, oils and foodstuffs. In
sub-Saharan
Africa (SSA),
South African
exporters
were the most
affected as
the country is
Zimbabwe’s
largest
trading
partner, with
the trade
balance
hugely in
favour of SA.
Speaking to FTW on the
sidelines of the Manufacturing
Indaba in Johannesburg
last week, Minister of Trade
and Industry, Dr Rob Davies,
said that
Zimbabwe
had agreed to
provide a list
of products
it produced
locally so
that SADC
ministers could
evaluate where,
and whether,
protection
was needed to
safeguard the
local industry.
“We are not monsters. We
won’t play hardball if they can
prove the respective industries
need protection and that
implementation of the SI64
has made a difference. But
frankly we are sceptical that
this is the case, and we need
to protect our own traders,”
he said.
Davies said this was a “very
serious matter”, pointing out
that trade protocols were
implemented for the benefit of
all member states to prevent
exploitation.
Earlier this year FTW
reported cross-border agents
as saying that the smuggling
of illicit goods had intensified
since the implementation of
the import ban.
We won’t play hardball
if they can prove the
respective industries
need protection.
– Dr Rob Davies
