Zuko Komisa
The Department of Health has warned the public about the presence of fake condoms on the market and asked people to be on the lookout for any unusual activities.
Counterfeit condoms pose a significant threat to public health because they are made with inferior materials. As a result, they are more likely to break or leak during use, drastically increasing the risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The use of counterfeit condoms also undermines efforts to control HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, potentially leading to increased healthcare costs and broader public health challenges.
According to Acting Deputy Director General for HIV/AIDS & STIs, Maternal and Child Health, Ramphelane Morewane, the problem was initially discovered over the December break.
Speaking to SABC News, Morewane said, “We started hearing this around the December holidays—and as far as we are concerned, for now, this matter we can say is localised around Gauteng. As you would imagine, people always look at what can help them make profit and I’m sure someone could still be thinking about it.
“The caution we should just give is that South Africans must learn to be very vigilant—and if they pick up something that’s very untoward, such as condoms being sold, they must be able to report them. The condoms are from the government, with any distributor—any public space, if they require them, they can get them for free.”
