Eleven million 'Clinton' brand condoms produced in Guandong Province, China, will not be purchased by South Africa because they are too small, ruled the Pretoria High Court.
Sekunjalo Investments Corporation appealed to the court after losing the bid for the South African government contract to Sigamba Medical, which planned to import condoms from China, according to the Malasian Insider. Sekunjalo argued their condoms are 20 per cent larger.
But, before male egos get ruffled or boosted—these are female condoms. And the purpose is anything but romantic.
The South African government is purchasing the 11 million condoms in an effort to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. South Africa has more HIV infections than any country in the world, with 5.38 million of its 50 million people carrying the virus, according to AFP.
Size wasn’t the only issue in overturning the finance minister’s decision, according to Judge Sullette Potterill. The Chinese “Phoenurse” condoms have not been approved by the South African Bureau of Standards, U.S. Food & Drug Administration or the World Health Organization. They are made from polyurethane, rather than nitrile, which is the approved material, reports South African Beeld News.
The judge ruled that female condom supply is an urgent matter and it is unthinkable that the government would consider providing condoms that fail to meet standards and are 20 percent smaller than approved. The Cape Town Sekunjalo company assured the court its condoms are up to code.