News / National
Zimbabwean birth control pills smuggled into South Africa
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A growing syndicate involving hospital staff, informal cross-border transporters, and backyard traders is siphoning government-issued birth control pills from Zimbabwe's public health facilities and smuggling them into South Africa, where the contraceptives are sold blister by blister on the black market.
At the heart of this illicit trade are two widely used contraceptives: Secure, a progesterone-only pill, and Control, a combined oral contraceptive. Both are distributed at a nominal fee through Zimbabwe's public hospitals and clinics. But across the Limpopo, they've become a high-demand commodity - valued for their affordability and trusted efficacy among both Zimbabwean migrants and local women in South Africa.
According to the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council, the pills are intended to be taken daily by women to prevent pregnancy. Yet the surge in black-market activity has turned what was once a vital public health tool into a contraband product fueling corruption and cross-border criminal enterprise.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care acknowledged the problem, with Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze confirming that internal complaints, particularly from Masvingo Provincial Hospital, surfaced as early as 2022. "Some staff members were discharged and faced criminal charges, although they were not convicted in court," Dr Maunganidze said.
In response, the Ministry has rolled out an electronic stock management system at over 1,000 health facilities to monitor supplies and curb theft. "We are working to ensure the entire supply chain is more secure," Dr Maunganidze added.
Despite these efforts, the illicit trade persists.
At a Kuwadzana polyclinic in Harare, a 36-year-old nurse identified only as Sister Prisca admitted to setting aside 200 to 300 blister packs weekly. "They are recorded as dispensed; no one checks," she said. "I sell them for a dollar each to the guys who handle the shipments. It's easy money." She described nightly handovers to "runners" who consolidate the pills before shipping.
The pills are supplied in bulk to public hospitals via the National Pharmaceutical Company of Zimbabwe (NatPharm) and are meant strictly for local use. In private pharmacies, a box of two blister packs sells for about US$1. In public clinics, they are nearly free - making them a prime target for illegal resale.
Once smuggled out of clinics, the pills are ferried across the border via omalayitsha - informal cross-border transporters who typically deal in groceries, furniture, and parcels. One such transporter, Thulani Manda, 43, admitted to regularly hiding blister packs in food parcels or false bag linings.
"I don't carry drugs or guns - just groceries, people's things… and Secure and Control," Manda said. "No one at the border checks for pills. They're looking for cigarettes or dagga."
In South Africa, the pills are sold through informal networks operating in areas such as Yeoville, Rosettenville, and Kempton Park, which have large populations of Zimbabwean migrants.
Rutendo, 29, a Zimbabwean based in Kempton Park, sells the contraceptives from her backyard. "I buy a box of 54 blister packs for R400 and sell them for up to R800, depending on demand," she said. "Even South Africans come to me. They trust these pills more than what's in clinics here."
South Africa's public hospitals mainly supply Oralcon, a brand some women complain causes side effects such as nausea and mood swings. This has driven many to seek alternatives - like Secure and Control - which are more familiar, especially to Zimbabwean users.
A single blister pack of Secure or Control, which costs around R55 in Zimbabwean pharmacies, can fetch more than R130 in South African retail stores - if available at all. On the black market, it's slightly cheaper and readily accessible.
The Zimbabwean diaspora, estimated at between 1.5 and 2 million in South Africa, many of whom are undocumented and lack access to affordable health care, has helped fuel the underground trade. With public health systems in both countries under pressure, this illicit trade has turned a government-subsidised commodity into black-market currency.
Springs of Life Zimbabwe, an organisation advocating for women's rights, condemned the syndicate. Director Ms Precious Msindo called the reports "deeply disturbing" and urged authorities to act swiftly. "These pills, which we believe are subsidised by the Government, should never be abused in this way," she said.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that while no new cases have been reported this year, authorities are investigating. "Smuggling of Government-issued medication is strictly prohibited. Police will remain on high alert at all points of entry and exit," he said.
The Ministry of Health says it is tightening controls and continuing to monitor stock flows at health facilities. However, critics argue that unless systemic corruption is addressed, electronic monitoring alone may not be enough.
In the meantime, the smuggling continues - quietly, profitably, and at a cost to the very people Zimbabwe's public health system is meant to protect.
At the heart of this illicit trade are two widely used contraceptives: Secure, a progesterone-only pill, and Control, a combined oral contraceptive. Both are distributed at a nominal fee through Zimbabwe's public hospitals and clinics. But across the Limpopo, they've become a high-demand commodity - valued for their affordability and trusted efficacy among both Zimbabwean migrants and local women in South Africa.
According to the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council, the pills are intended to be taken daily by women to prevent pregnancy. Yet the surge in black-market activity has turned what was once a vital public health tool into a contraband product fueling corruption and cross-border criminal enterprise.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care acknowledged the problem, with Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze confirming that internal complaints, particularly from Masvingo Provincial Hospital, surfaced as early as 2022. "Some staff members were discharged and faced criminal charges, although they were not convicted in court," Dr Maunganidze said.
In response, the Ministry has rolled out an electronic stock management system at over 1,000 health facilities to monitor supplies and curb theft. "We are working to ensure the entire supply chain is more secure," Dr Maunganidze added.
Despite these efforts, the illicit trade persists.
At a Kuwadzana polyclinic in Harare, a 36-year-old nurse identified only as Sister Prisca admitted to setting aside 200 to 300 blister packs weekly. "They are recorded as dispensed; no one checks," she said. "I sell them for a dollar each to the guys who handle the shipments. It's easy money." She described nightly handovers to "runners" who consolidate the pills before shipping.
The pills are supplied in bulk to public hospitals via the National Pharmaceutical Company of Zimbabwe (NatPharm) and are meant strictly for local use. In private pharmacies, a box of two blister packs sells for about US$1. In public clinics, they are nearly free - making them a prime target for illegal resale.
Once smuggled out of clinics, the pills are ferried across the border via omalayitsha - informal cross-border transporters who typically deal in groceries, furniture, and parcels. One such transporter, Thulani Manda, 43, admitted to regularly hiding blister packs in food parcels or false bag linings.
"I don't carry drugs or guns - just groceries, people's things… and Secure and Control," Manda said. "No one at the border checks for pills. They're looking for cigarettes or dagga."
In South Africa, the pills are sold through informal networks operating in areas such as Yeoville, Rosettenville, and Kempton Park, which have large populations of Zimbabwean migrants.
Rutendo, 29, a Zimbabwean based in Kempton Park, sells the contraceptives from her backyard. "I buy a box of 54 blister packs for R400 and sell them for up to R800, depending on demand," she said. "Even South Africans come to me. They trust these pills more than what's in clinics here."
South Africa's public hospitals mainly supply Oralcon, a brand some women complain causes side effects such as nausea and mood swings. This has driven many to seek alternatives - like Secure and Control - which are more familiar, especially to Zimbabwean users.
A single blister pack of Secure or Control, which costs around R55 in Zimbabwean pharmacies, can fetch more than R130 in South African retail stores - if available at all. On the black market, it's slightly cheaper and readily accessible.
The Zimbabwean diaspora, estimated at between 1.5 and 2 million in South Africa, many of whom are undocumented and lack access to affordable health care, has helped fuel the underground trade. With public health systems in both countries under pressure, this illicit trade has turned a government-subsidised commodity into black-market currency.
Springs of Life Zimbabwe, an organisation advocating for women's rights, condemned the syndicate. Director Ms Precious Msindo called the reports "deeply disturbing" and urged authorities to act swiftly. "These pills, which we believe are subsidised by the Government, should never be abused in this way," she said.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that while no new cases have been reported this year, authorities are investigating. "Smuggling of Government-issued medication is strictly prohibited. Police will remain on high alert at all points of entry and exit," he said.
The Ministry of Health says it is tightening controls and continuing to monitor stock flows at health facilities. However, critics argue that unless systemic corruption is addressed, electronic monitoring alone may not be enough.
In the meantime, the smuggling continues - quietly, profitably, and at a cost to the very people Zimbabwe's public health system is meant to protect.
Source - The Herald
