Nairobi, June 3, 2025 – The latest report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) reveals that the African market is flooded with low-quality safety shoes, leading to frequent industrial accidents.
Survey Findings
Price wars sacrifice quality: 78% of “safety shoes” in the Kenyan market are priced below $10, and only 9% pass the impact test.
Fake certifications are rampant: South Africa seized a batch of safety shoes with forged CE marks, and the soles were made only of recycled rubber from waste tires.
Industry Initiatives
The World Bank has allocated $50 million to support Ethiopia’s first production line that meets the ISO 20345 standard.
Germany’s DEKRA has launched the “African Safety Shoes Quality Lighthouse Program” to train local quality inspectors.
Workers’ Experiences
Zambian miner Jacob Mwamba lost three toes in an accident. He angrily said: “The ‘safety shoes’ I wore were actually plastic rain boots painted black!”
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