Mafume supports ban on pre-owned clothes

While the government faces criticism over its ban on the importation and sale of second-hand clothing in urban areas, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has publicly backed the move, warning that the capital cannot be allowed to become a "city of bales."

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

Speaking during a full council session on Thursday, Mayor Mafume emphasized that the city cannot be sustained by second-hand clothes.

"It is a serious dichotomy. We cannot have a society that aspires to wear second-hand clothes. It is a serious oxymoron; we have cotton we cannot 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," Mafume said.

"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 cannot sustain a city based on second-hand clothes."

Despite the importation ban imposed by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) in 2015, second-hand clothes continue to flood Zimbabwe's streets due to porous borders and their affordability, providing much-needed relief for cash-strapped consumers.

In Harare, second-hand clothing is frequently sold at night—a practice the government also seeks to ban.

However, the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has condemned the ban, describing it as autocratic and harmful to the informal sector, which many Zimbabweans rely on.

"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," the CHRA said in a statement.

"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," it added.

CHRA further urged that the City of Harare should operate in line with Section 264 of the Constitution, calling for procedures to be followed constitutionally.

"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," the statement concluded.

As the debate unfolds, Harare stands at a crossroads between promoting local textile production and protecting the livelihoods of informal traders who depend on affordable second-hand clothes.