Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - South Africa is regarded as a top "dumping" destination for fake and illegally imported goods due to the high demand created by local consumers, according to Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies.
According to reports, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) conducted more than 25 000 seizures and confiscated illegal goods valued at R2.6bn.
The department of trade and industry (dti) and Proudly South African (Proudly SA), therefore, issued a statement on Monday, calling on members of the public to boycott pirated and illegally imported goods.
This call to action forms part of efforts, especially in the run-up to the festive season, to re-ignite awareness around what the dti describes as a "crime scourge" which costs South Africa’s economy billions of rands in lost revenue annually.
“Counterfeit and illegally imported goods deprive honest workers in the creative industry of jobs and a sustainable income," said Davies.
"Manufacturing, selling or buying these goods is not only illegal – it literally takes the food out of the mouths of honest businesses, up-and-coming artists, entrepreneurs and their families. In short, piracy perpetuates poverty.”
The CEO of Proudly South African Adv. Leslie Sedibe said South Africans cannot allow the country's creative industries to continue bleeding "while criminal scavengers illegally benefit through stealing the work of our artists and creative minds".
"Pirated goods rob the original creators of their future. This also robs the government of tax revenue and ultimately has a negative impact on South Africa’s economy and South African families,” said Sedibe.
Smuggled in
Goods are often smuggled into the country from places such as South-East Asia.
According to Sars, among the methods used by illicit traders to circumvent customs and other government agencies, are identity theft, falsification of documents, ghost businesses and alternative remittance schemes.
Customs Operations secured an average of 26 “busts” a day at ports of entry across the country and detections included illicit cigarettes worth R37.8m, counterfeit clothing worth R155m and counterfeit CDs and DVDs worth R671m.
"However, the success of our enforcement agencies is undermined by the continued demand for these illegal products by SA consumers. By buying pirated goods, consumers are not just saving a few rands – they are effectively supporting a worldwide franchise of criminal activity." said Davies.
“Dealing with the triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality cannot be left up to government alone. As South Africans – and as consumers - we all need to unite behind efforts to fight piracy and illegal imports in order to prevent job losses, stimulate job creation and ultimately fuel economic growth.”
Consumers are encouraged to support local products and be proudly South African.
According to reports, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) conducted more than 25 000 seizures and confiscated illegal goods valued at R2.6bn.
The department of trade and industry (dti) and Proudly South African (Proudly SA), therefore, issued a statement on Monday, calling on members of the public to boycott pirated and illegally imported goods.
This call to action forms part of efforts, especially in the run-up to the festive season, to re-ignite awareness around what the dti describes as a "crime scourge" which costs South Africa’s economy billions of rands in lost revenue annually.
“Counterfeit and illegally imported goods deprive honest workers in the creative industry of jobs and a sustainable income," said Davies.
"Manufacturing, selling or buying these goods is not only illegal – it literally takes the food out of the mouths of honest businesses, up-and-coming artists, entrepreneurs and their families. In short, piracy perpetuates poverty.”
The CEO of Proudly South African Adv. Leslie Sedibe said South Africans cannot allow the country's creative industries to continue bleeding "while criminal scavengers illegally benefit through stealing the work of our artists and creative minds".
"Pirated goods rob the original creators of their future. This also robs the government of tax revenue and ultimately has a negative impact on South Africa’s economy and South African families,” said Sedibe.
Smuggled in
Goods are often smuggled into the country from places such as South-East Asia.
According to Sars, among the methods used by illicit traders to circumvent customs and other government agencies, are identity theft, falsification of documents, ghost businesses and alternative remittance schemes.
Customs Operations secured an average of 26 “busts” a day at ports of entry across the country and detections included illicit cigarettes worth R37.8m, counterfeit clothing worth R155m and counterfeit CDs and DVDs worth R671m.
"However, the success of our enforcement agencies is undermined by the continued demand for these illegal products by SA consumers. By buying pirated goods, consumers are not just saving a few rands – they are effectively supporting a worldwide franchise of criminal activity." said Davies.
“Dealing with the triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality cannot be left up to government alone. As South Africans – and as consumers - we all need to unite behind efforts to fight piracy and illegal imports in order to prevent job losses, stimulate job creation and ultimately fuel economic growth.”
Consumers are encouraged to support local products and be proudly South African.
