Zimbabwe: You Can Not Aspire to Wear Second-Hand Clothes - Harare Mayor Says Following Government Ban On Their Import and Sale

WHILE the government has faced backlash over the ban on the importation and sale of second-hand clothing in cities, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has backed the move, saying the capital cannot be turned into a "city of bales".

The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, earlier this week reaffirmed a ban on second-hand clothes, known as bhero, alongside night vending.

Speaking during a full council session on Thursday, Mafume stated that Harare cannot be sustained by second-hand clothes.

"It is a serious dichotomy. We can not have a society that aspires to wear second-hand clothes. It is a serious oxymoron; we have cotton we can not make new clothes. So we wait for the cotton to be exported and clothes to be manufactured, and they are worn before we wear them.

"On the other hand, we have some in our midst wearing second-hand clothes. We must assist each other as a society. We need to deal with it in a sensitive manner, but at the same time, we can not sustain a city based on second-hand clothes."

Despite their importation ban by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), second-hand clothes have provided relief for cash-strapped individuals due to their affordability.

The ban on the importation of second-hand clothes was implemented by ZIMRA in 2015, but due to porous borders, they continue to flood the streets, being sold at cheaper prices.

In Harare, second-hand clothes are also sold at night, a practice the government is also banning.

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has since condemned the move as autocratic, particularly in an economy reliant on the informal sector.

"The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) notes with deep concern the position taken by the Ministry of Local Government on banning the selling of second-hand clothing and street vending

"This intervention by the Ministry of Local Government is a clear reflection of the failure of the implementation of devolution within the local authority, the decision was made from an autocratic position

"The City of Harare has to run the operations within the City in accordance with Section 264 of the Constitution, the procedure should be done in accordance with the Constitution.

"The informal sector has for years been complementing the formal sector as there has been an emergence of formal businesses operating 24/7 in the CBD over the years," reads the statement by CHRA.

Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.