According to the Consumer Goods Council of SA (CGCSA), it is estimated that counterfeiting could account for as much as 10% of SA economy.
Fashion designers, including MaXhosa Africa’s Laduma Ngxokolo, have stepped up their fight against fake products that dilute their brand value and cultural significance, following a discovery of some of his wares being sold on Johannesburg’s Small Street.
Ngxokolo says, “Counterfeit goods don’t just threaten our businesses, they undermine our culture and creativity. Our designs carry stories and heritage that cannot be replicated.”
MaXhosa Africa, known for its bold celebration of Xhosa heritage, did not only make waves at Paris Fashion Week with its new collection Umbulelo collection, but is also confronting the counterfeit fashion crisis head-on.
The brand joined other leading creatives like Imprint ZA, Gert Johan Coetzee and Africa Your Time Is Now and the Alliance Against Counterfeit (AAC) to fight the spread of fake fashion.
AAC says, “This counterfeiting poses a real risk to consumers as it potentially exposes them to unsafe or dangerous products while making it more difficult for local authentic manufacturers to remain competitive and deprives governments of tax revenue that could contribute to much-needed service delivery.”
The collaboration aims to educate consumers on the dangers of counterfeit goods and promote authentic SA craftsmanship.
AAC says, “Counterfeiting undermines intellectual property rights, facilitates organised crime, results in lost government revenue, and erodes consumer trust, ultimately hindering economic growth and development of our the fashion industry and textile industry.”
Counterfeit foods and electrical goods pose serious safety risks and contribute to economic losses across the continent. In September 2024, a total of 890 reported incidents of food-borne illnesses across all provinces, attributed to fake foods sold in townships.
Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were the most affected, with Limpopo, Free State and Mpumalanga also recording dozens of incidents. These claimed the lives of at least 22 children in the country.
In November 2024, CGCSA launched a national illicit awareness campaign using the tagline, “Checka daai ding, Reka Makoya!”. The focus of the initiative was to transform the public into vigilant buyers who can identify and reject counterfeit products.
--SABC--
