TBS bans secondhand underwear worth millions

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania - In its bid to ensure secondhand clothes are out of the market, the Tanzania Bureau of Standards, (TBS) last week carried special operation seizing over 20 bales of secondhand underwear worth million of shillings.

Speaking to East African Business Week in a telephone interview from Arusha, the TBS Public Relations officer, Ms. Rhoida Andusamile said the secondhand underwear business was contrary to TZS 758:2003 requirements on compulsory standards for inspection and acceptance criteria for used textile products.

Andusamile said they carried out a fruitful operation in collaboration with police in various markets located in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions as part of the countrywide crackdown of the business.

She named the markets in which undergarments were seized and burnt as Klolotoni, central market, Unga Limited market,–Memorial and Mbuyuni in Arusha and Moshi.

“We would like to remind all people involved in the business of used garments that all used undergarments are not allowed to be imported and sold in the country due to health and safety reasons,” she noted.

The standard body issued one-month notice two years ago to all dealers, importers and sellers of second hand clothes dubbed ‘mitumba’ to remove all second-hand innerwear such as socks, brassieres, vests, night dresses, camisoles and briefs from the local market.

TBS declared a nation-wide inspection. The operation has been carried our in various regions in the country including Tanga, Kililimanjaro, Arusha, Dar es Salaam’s Ilala and Temeke districts.

She disclosed that after Kilimanjaro and Arusha, the Bureau officers will carry their operation in other parts of the country including Dar es Salaam’s Kinondoni district, Ruvuma region, Rukwa, Mbeya, Iringa and Mwanza before heading to other region for the same mission.

The TBS’s officer disclosed that most of the secondhand clothes are illegally imported in the country because the authority had for a long time now managed to control its importation through the ports, and airports.

“But we’re still seeing them in the markets! Who is importing them? We need these traders to disclose the agents, who import these clothes,” said Ms. Andusamile, adding that it was not easy to estimate the cost of the destroyed clothes due to the fact that secondhand clothes vary in prices.

“Nor do we target to use the punishment say of paying Tsh.50million ($30,979) to small traders through the punishment stays. What we want them to do, is to disclose those big agents who import these clothes. They are the oneS who will have to pay,” she said.

She said they were not targeting at small scale entrepreneurs, but the authority wants them to name the agents.

The TBS Quality Assurance Officer Mr. Paul Manyilika, said the ongoing countrywide operation is sustainable. He appeals to all violators that once caught they would be charged under Section 27 of the Standards Act No 2 of 2009 and that their goods would be disposed of at owner’s cost.

He said: “Worse is that majority of us fail to interpret the meaning of undergarments---these include underwear, stockings (Socks), night dresses etc,” he said.

There are 48 major importers of second-hand garments in Tanzania, who then distribute the same to retailers, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

According to TBS, a person found selling secondhand underwear is subject to paying Tsh50 million ($30,979).

Between 2005 and 2011, Tanzania imported an estimated 452,350 tons of second-hand clothing valued at approximately $284,000.

Nearly 2,990 licenses were issued by Tanzanian authorities to traders and dealers of second-hand garments between 2009 and 2011,’’ said the Ministry’s report.

According to TBS used garments are among the products listed for inspection by TBS agents before shipment.

However analysts said it is difficult to control the use of such clothes from the fact that there is a lot of consumer demand for second-hand clothing which are often imported from Europe, as it is cheaper than locally produced items.

By Patrick Kisembo, Monday, February 03rd, 2014


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