The South African National Aids Council (Sanac) has voiced concern following an IOL investigation which exposed the proliferation of counterfeit condoms being sold particularly in spaza shops across Gauteng.
IOL reported last week that fear and anxiety has set in among some Gauteng residents after they bought and used condoms from spaza shops dotted across the province. The users however noticed some slight differences on the condoms and the packaging of the Trust condoms brand.
The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) which is the authority responsible for the promotion and maintenance of standardization and quality in connection with commodities in the country has distanced itself from its logo printed on the counterfeit condoms.
Reacting to the news, Sanac spokesperson Nelson Dlamini told IOL that in a country bedeviled by a high prevalence of HIV, consumers must take precaution and use condoms from reputable shops.
“As Sanac that is very concerning to us. The condom remains one of the most accessible, easiest to use and one of the most effect methods of preventing HIV, sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies.
“The last thing we would want is for someone to take advantage of the market and produce counterfeit condoms, particularly in a country that shoulders the highest burden of HIV globally with nearly eight million people living with HIV,” said Dlamini.
“We therefore urge people to buy condoms from reputable retail outlets and also opt for the free-issued government condoms – they also come in different flavours. Those are produced and distributed under strict quality controls and you are sure that you are using a product that is safe and will give you the necessary protection that you need.
Dlamini highlighted that spaza shops have been implicated for selling fake or sometimes dangerous products linked to the food-borne diseases which left several children dead.
“We really would urge people to avoid buying things that may compromise their health from spaza shops. Now we know there are fake condoms circulating in the market and we really urge people to buy condoms from reputable retail outlets where we know that the flow of commodities, from the source to the user, is a strictly controlled process that follows certain protocols to ensure that the end-user is getting a quality product,” he said.
On Saturday, spokesperson for the national Department of Health, Foster Mohale said the counterfeit condoms do not have verified efficacy.
“As the department we are concerned about these reports of fake condoms because they are not certified by the SA Bureau of Standards through quality control tests to provide the required protection against sexually transmitted infections including the HIV and unplanned pregnancies,” Mohale told IOL.
He said condoms remain one of the most viable and safe methods of contraception, which carry the promise of safe sex.
“Counterfeit condoms pose severe public health risks, including the failure to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancies, thus putting the lives of innocent consumers and users at risk,” said Mohale.
“As the department, we will work closely with the private sector that sells condoms to mitigate the current challenges of reported fake condoms with potential to contribute to rising numbers of HIV infections in the country, especially among young people.”
The Department of Health has urged community members to use condoms from public healthcare facilities, which are available free of charge and the condoms sold at reputable stores.
IOL has been conducting an investigation into the authenticity of numerous packs of Trust condoms.
In Sunnyside, some residents noticed conspicuous discrepancies on the packaging of the Trust condoms and panicked after realising that the quality seemed to be compromised on the other packaging.
The IOL investigation also ventured into the heavily populated Hillbrow, where the seemingly fake condoms are on sale from spaza shops, for R20.
During the IOL investigation, the suspicious packs of condoms were also picked up in places including Atteridgeville, Tembisa, Mamelodi, Joburg CBD, Pretoria central, and Soweto.
The clearly visible difference between the two is on the packaging of the box with three sealed condoms.
The ones bought from spaza shops were in a closed box which is not sealed at all. The unsealed boxes can be reused. Condoms of the same Trust brand bought at well-established shops are in tightly sealed boxes which can only be used once.
The other glaring difference is that some packs of the sky-blue studded Trust condoms are written “Compliant with WHO specifications”, with a label stating “studded” or “smooth” while the suspicious packs bought in spaza shops are written “World Health Organization compliant” with no label of the variety.
Armed with this information, IOL approached statutory body, the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) which is the authority responsible for the promotion and maintenance of standardisation and quality in connection with commodities in the country.
The SABS said it does not regulate the importing of condoms into South Africa and the function falls in the ambit of the Department of Health.
“Producing condoms in South Africa involves detailed process to ensure they meet safety, quality, and regulatory standards. Requirements for packaging of condoms are stated in ISO 4074:2015/SANS 4074:2017,” the SABS said in its written response to IOL.
On the glaring differences on the packaging, SABS stated that SANS4074 approved condom boxes will be written Compliant with WHO specifications, and they will be labelled “studded” or “smooth”.
“The counterfeit condoms will have World Health Organization compliant and will be dull and very fragile. This means that there is a SABS mark scheme [being] abused by producers of fake condoms."
Regarding the sealing of the individual boxes containing three condoms, SABS said ISO/SANS 4074 details sealing specifications for condom wraps but not for condom boxes.
“However, consumers must shy away from products that are defective or look like their quality has been compromised,” SABS responded.
Authentic condoms must comply with SANS 4074 and include specific labelling requirements, such as:
- Type or texture (studded or smooth)
- SABS certification mark (if certified)
- Expiry date and batch number
- Manufacturer’s details
SABS said lack of this information may indicate non-compliance.
Additionally, SABS has raised red flags on the boxes of condoms written “World Health Organization compliant”.
“This phrasing might be misleading, as the World Health Organization (WHO) does not directly certify products. Instead, the WHO provides technical specifications for condoms under the WHO/UNPA Prequalification Program for manufacturers to meet. ‘Compliant with WHO specifications’ - this is more precise and suggests adherence to specific WHO recommended standards. It indicates that the product likely underwent testing to meet WHO’s international safety and quality guidelines."
IOL