Bulawayo, (New Ziana) – Government’s aggressive anti-smuggling campaign, spearheaded by multiple state agencies, has led to a surge in availability in shops of locally produced goods, a Cabinet Minister said.
Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said this at a stakeholder engagement breakfast meeting which was jointly organised by the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) and the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) in Bulawayo on Thursday.
The meeting brought together government officials, private sector players, and public sector stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for reviving industries in the region.
Last year, government declared a crackdown on smuggling, citing its damaging effects on local production, value chains, and employment creation.
The illicit trade was also blamed for distorting the market, creating an uneven playing field between locally manufactured goods and legally imported products.
Additionally, smuggling was reported to be eroding government revenue and fostering illegal activities that deterred both local and foreign investment.
“In firm alignment with the priorities outlined in the 2025 National Budget, the government is resolutely committed to intensifying the fight against the damaging scourge of smuggling and business malpractices.
“Our goal is to protect vital local industries, create a level playing field for fair competition, and ensure consumer protection,” Ndlovu said.
He said that the Taskforce on smuggling and business malpractices has registered significant progress across all provinces as it has been able to conduct inspections countrywide which stand at 1907, prosecutions which are at 137, compliance notices which are at 247 and have managed to seize 3 987 units of products.
“In light of the foregoing, this has witnessed improvements in sales and shelf occupancy of locally produced goods.
“The ongoing operationalization of the Taskforce on smuggling and business malpractices, the strategic capacitation of relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), proactive media awareness campaigns, continuous engagement with key stakeholders, a thorough review of existing penalties to ensure effective deterrence, and the enhancement of the Consignment Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) Programme are all integral parts of the comprehensive measures we are actively implementing,” said the minister.
Ndlovu emphasized that safeguarding consumer rights was equally critical in fostering a healthy business environment.
“We are steadfastly enforcing Consumer Protection and Trade Measures legislation to provide robust safeguards against the harmful effects of smuggled, counterfeit, and substandard goods. These illicit products not only undermine legitimate businesses but also endanger consumers,” he said.
To bolster enforcement, Ndlovu said agencies such as the Consumer Protection Commission and the Trade Measures Department are being equipped with additional resources and expertise.
He also commended the government for maintaining relative economic stability in recent months, attributing it to a tight monetary policy stance.
“This stability is reflected in the lower ZiG inflation rate, which stabilized at 0.5% in February 2025,” Ndlovu noted.
He also commended the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) for adopting a more relaxed approach in enforcing currency exchange regulations, which has eased business operations.
New Ziana
