The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu
This week Zimbabwean women woke up to news that in future they might not be able to sport their much loved stylish hairdos after Government announced a new regulation on the importation of synthetic hair products.
Women were not amused by the move which is meant to stimulate local production of the same products and increase the circulation of cash in the country.
While weaves are the subject of much debate in society as some argue that donning one shows a women’s lack of appreciation for their natural African hair while others argue that women should beautify themselves in any way they deem fit, there is no doubt that women in the country hold their artificial hairpieces dear.
Synthetic hair products were therefore the major sticking point for women from the list of banned beauty products which included weaves, Camphor creams, white petroleum jellies and body creams which are the essence of beauty enhancements for some women in Zimbabwe. More so, products such as artificial hair are very important to women as they care about their hair, after all, and according to women that’s usually the first thing noticed about them. Some said the value of hair is unquestionable as it is directly reflected in their self-esteem in their mood and even the self-confidence.
Even former Miss Zimbabwe Lorraine Maphala-Phiri who owns Real Hair by Lorraine that specialises in human hair from Brazil, Mongolia and Peru was very much disturbed by the new regulation.
The Bulawayo-based beauty who has a hair salon called Real Hair by Lorraine Studio posted the following on her Facebook page: “Kuwe Hulumende siyabonga ukuzama ukuthuthukisa into ezilinywa lapha ekhaya kodwa ngesihle lingangilayela okuphekwa khona iMongolian hair Brazilian hair? kanye lamafutha okupheka abukeka ehlanzekile afana le Cannola oil labo virgin oil ngitsho lapha ezweni lakithi phela . . . kungaba kuhle ngoba lami ngikhathele ngokuthenga ngaphandle . . . yimi owakho ozithobileyo.”
While the Government sees the move as an opportunity to improve the performance of the economy, for some hair dressers in the city, like Miriam Dube, the move will take them out of business.
“But what does the Government want us to do with this ban? Who shall we style hair for if they do that? It’s directly affecting our source of living When we don’t have clients what will happen to our children, how are we going to pay our school fees? In any case the products in Zimbabwe are very expensive compared to the imported ones,” said Dube.
Fingers Hair Salon owner Sarah Mpofu said although she understood the motives of Government’s move, the new regulation would probably affect their business in the short term as it has been a while since they used local suppliers.
“It will really set us back because we have grown to heavily rely on imports for all our beauty products. Over the last few years all the local suppliers that we relied upon have either shut up shop or are just limping along.
“I understand and support the move to go local because that will work out in our favour in the long run. But in the short term we will suffer because we don’t have clear immediate alternatives to what we are getting from across the border. Once our industries are up and running and we can see where we can get alternative products then I think the outcry that you are seeing now would not be warranted,” she said.
