South Africa is grappling with a sharp rise in counterfeit and illicit goods entering the country and being produced locally, prompting a coordinated response from industry and regulators.
The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has launched six specialised task forces aimed at cracking down on illegal products across key sectors. The move comes as authorities estimate that illicit trade costs the economy roughly R100 billion each year.
Acting National Consumer Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu says the new task teams led by the private sector will work closely with regulators and law enforcement to disrupt the growing underground market.
“These task forces will have to collaborate extensively with regulators and law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Ratshisusu added that food safety is being treated as a priority area, with officials increasingly concerned about illegally imported food items. Many of these products, he said, are improperly labelled, posing significant risks to consumers.
“If you look at food products, we are finding a lot of items entering the country illegally,” he explained. “The challenge with those products is that some of them are not labelled properly, which puts a huge danger to society.”
The strengthened enforcement effort aims to protect consumers, safeguard legitimate businesses and limit the economic damage caused by illicit trade.