In South Africa counterfeiting is perceived to be a victimless
crime, one that is viewed as an open opportunity for the public to
get a hold of a brand, be it adidas, PUMA, D&G or any other
name brand or product at a cheap price.
The reality however is completely the opposite, counterfeiting
is a crime, the Counterfeit Goods Act 37 of 1997, specifically
defines the dealing in counterfeit goods as a criminal offence. The
crime itself is in fact far from victimless, the TAX revenue that
is lost due to counterfeits being imported, incorrectly declared
and sold is estimated to be in excess of R2.5 billion in excise and
VAT annually for counterfeit cigarettes alone. The loss of jobs due
to counterfeiting is astounding. During 2010 it was estimated by
the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union that 14,400
jobs were lost in the textile industry alone due to counterfeit
garments being imported and sold. This does not even take into
consideration the potential jobs
