The Sunday Mail
Africa Moyo —
THE clothing industry is fuming over Government’s reluctance to enforce the ban on second-hand clothes, especially at a time when they felt their fortunes were beginning to change.
Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Mike Bimha said on January 18 this year, the ban of second-hand clothes, which was effected on September 1, 2016, cannot be enforceable since local industry doesn’t have the capacity to meet local demand at reasonable costs.
He noted that the ban can only become effective once local industry demonstrates the capacity to produce “quality clothes at reasonable prices”.
Imported clothing items presently attract a duty of US$5 per kg. Last week, National Union of the Clothing Industry (NUCI) general secretary Mr Joseph Tanyanyiwa told The Sunday Mail Business that Government’s stance will negatively impact on the sector.
“I am very disappointed by the remarks by the Minister (Dr Bimha) because they come on the backdrop of hope in the sector following the announcement by Minister Chinamasa last year of banning the importation of second-hand clothes.
“What this country needs is a clear, deliberate local procurement policy for the clothing industry as it will boost the sector. The level of policy inconsistency is also disappointing because Minister Chinamasa had given us hope that Government wants to protect our industry by way of imposing punitive charges and eventually a ban on the importation of second-hand goods.
“But four months down the line, something comes up. Has that policy failed for it to be changed?” queried Mr Tanyanyiwa.
He said the sector has the capacity to meet demand from both low and high-income earners. The Indigenous Clothing Manufacturers Association (ICMA) produces reasonably priced clothes, while the Zimbabwe Clothing Manufacturers Association (ZCMA), which also exports some of its wares, caters for the top end of the market.
NUCI is pushing for an all-stakeholders conference to address challenges in the industry, including the possibility of resuscitating the Zimbabwe Cotton-to-Clothing Strategy launched in September 2014.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) pledged to provide 4,2 million euros to fund the project.
The fund was allocated to Zimbabwe under the Comesa regional integration support mechanism programme funded by the European Union.
“Why is the Zimbabwe Cotton-to-Clothing Strategy being abandoned?
“More importantly, SI64 was also introduced to protect the local industry, and the clothing industry is part of the local industry. But when we allow imports of second-hand clothes, that is selective protection, which is unacceptable.
“The clothing industry has a role to play in absorbing unemployed people since it is labour intensive. ‘‘Once the sector operates optimally, we preserve foreign currency which is badly needed in the country,” said Mr Tanyanyiwa.
The Zimbabwe Cotton-to-Clothing Strategy was primed to help the country improve exports of textile and garment products by 390 percent to US$110 million by 2019, creating 40 000 jobs in the process.
ZCMA chairman Mr Jeremy Youmans said he could only comment after getting clarification from Government. The textile sector, which used to employ more than 35 000 people at its peak, is currently operating at 45 percent capacity.
It now only employs about 8 000 people as the number of operational companies has declined from 298 to 103.
Last year, Concorde Clothing, which first opened its doors in 1975, went bust. Similarly, Pilot Shirts, another firm which has been around since the early 1980s, also closed shop last year and threw over 100 workers on the streets.
NUCI says the introduction of a local procurement policy will help lift the industry.
