Online retailer Temu selling illegal safety footwear in SA

Umhlanga, KZN, SA – An investigation by SAFLIA has shown that online retailer Temu, which officially launched in South Africa on 17 January, is selling non-compliant safety footwear in SA. SAFLIA signed up to the site and ordered a style labelled as ‘Men's Summer Mesh Steel Toe Shoes Breathable Work Safety Shoes Industrial Construction Sneakers Walking’ for which it paid R679, including 30% import duty, marked down from R1129.

All safety footwear in SA must be approved by the National Retailer for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) as being compliant with the safety standard ISO 20345 and its SA equivalent, SANS 20345. Each approved style is issued with a number which must be permanently attached to the shoe.

In terms of separate country of origin legislation, all imported footwear must have the country of origin permanently attached to the shoe. The ‘made in China’ information on the shoes was on the same adhesive – i.e. impermanent – sticker identifying the materials used – in this case, rubber or plastic and textile upper, rubber or plastic lining and sock, and rubber or plastic sole.

The NRCS was approached for comment on Friday, and this morning replied: “This communication serves to inform you that proper investigation into the matter below will be done. As the CMM department we wish to extend our appreciation for your assistance in making sure that the market is removing the non-compliant commodities and that everyone in the industry complies to the rules and regulations.”

Temu was approached for comment via its customer service site. It responded that it has a legal team that checked legal requirements in all markets it served.

“Temu has bypassed the whole NRCS system,” SAFLIA executive director Jirka Vymĕtal said on Friday. “This product should have been stopped by Customs. The NRCS has to act to stop it.

“Frankly, the safety footwear being offered by Temu is a threat to the entire safety footwear industry in SA, importers as well as manufacturers. Compliant safety footwear suppliers have to fund the cost of compliance.”

He said the application of duties on the shoes was also being investigated by SAFLIA.

Note: This is an ongoing article.