Customer protection concerns rise as businesswoman allegedly fails to deliver wigs to 190 Namibian clients 

… Businesswoman accused of failing to deliver over 190 hair orders blames Namra

A businesswoman’s alleged failure to deliver wigs and hair extensions to over 190 customers has sparked concerns over customer protection standards in Namibia.

The latest saga involves a hair business on Instagram, called Belv Hair, owned by Belvana Edward.

Edward is also accused of being rude to her clients.

She, however, blames the Namibia Revenue Agency (Namra) for causing delays in delivering to her customers.

Small business owners, known as ‘order with me’ operators, have over the years blamed Namra for failing to protect them when it comes to dealing with parcels from abroad and holding clearing agents accountable for lost parcels.

Youth leaders from political parties say the lack of proper regulation to protect end consumers is concerning.

Landless People’s Movement youth leader Duminga Ndala calls for stronger protections for unregulated transactions.

“Beyond proof of payment, there’s typically little legal recourse for consumers. Establishing a consumer protection agency that mandates refunds for affected individuals would suffice,” she says.

She says implementing stringent and clear reporting mechanisms for scams and non-delivery is crucial in holding vendors accountable.

Swapo Party Youth League spokesperson Moses Shikerete says Namibia has a number of laws with elements of consumer protection.

“There is a current document by the Namibian Law Reform and Development Commission that speaks to consumer protection, but it is not specific,” he says.

Shikerete says there have been numerous cases in which consumers have lost their money because of a lack of legal protection.

“I believe this calls for a new law that specifically addresses issues of protection, especially for online marketers and buyers,” he says.

Over the years, the government has been urged to enact a consumer protection law to safeguard consumers against industries that employ unfair, discriminatory and abusive trade practices.

A 2020 Consumer Protection Policy under the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade states: “Namibians are increasingly exposed to sub-standard products, hazardous products, abusive business practices, pervasive forms of advertising/marketing, low-quality services and deceptive or unethical business practices.”

PROMISES IN THE DARK

The storm about the undelivered hair products surfaced on social media last week.

Edward is accused of promising customers that deliveries from abroad would take only three to four weeks.

This promise was, however, allegedly never met.

The situation has resulted in a group of disgruntled customers launching a social media campaign to air their frustration.

A WhatsApp group was also launched comprising customers who have not received their ordered hair products.

They have allegedly spent between N$900 and N$6 000 on products ranging from ‘deep waves’ to straight hair.

One such customer is Suama Mbinga.

She expressed her frustration on social media after the wig she ordered from Belv Hair in August had not been delivered.

“I ordered a wig for my mother on 31 August, and I was supposed to receive it by October,” Mbinga said in a now-deleted video posted on Friday.

She says her request for a refund has been met with countless delays.

“When I called to ask how far the wig was, I was told to speak to Edwards’ personal assistant. I haven’t received my refund,” Mbinge says.

She says she started the WhatsApp group called ‘Surviving Belv Hair’ when clients who also bought wigs from the business contacted her with the same problem.

Another client, Maria Shigweda, says she ordered a 28-inch wig on 16 August after she saw influencers showing off their hair on Belv Hair’s Instagram page.

“I don’t think any of us thought this wasn’t a legitimate business; the influencers are the reason we wanted to buy from them,” she says.

Shigweda says Belv had marketed its wigs at an affordable price, which is rare in the hair industry.

Maria Erastus (23) from Windhoek says she was prompted by influencers to order a wig worth N$2 000.

However, she says she too has not received her order since August, despite countless attempts to contact Edwards.

“Clearly you are getting a lot of clients, and it’s understandable if you can’t meet the demands as quickly as you used to.
But don’t tell people it’s going to take three weeks, and then it takes three months,” she says.

Delah Jacobs (21) from Swakopmund says she ordered a wig for N$2 800 because she was intrigued by how inexpensive Bev’s luxury hair products were.

“I saw familiar faces on their page and thought they were credible, and I was prompted by their sale,” she says.

Jacobs says she has also been unable to find out when she will finally receive her order.

“I ordered the hair for a photoshoot, and when I called, she told me that I have to be patient.

BLAMING NAMRA

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Edwards blamed Namra.

“Namra delayed our shipment. We ship with XY Cargo from China, and everything has been on hold. Namra’s clearance took three months. I have proof,” she said.

Edwards apologised to her clients via a social media video on Saturday for failing to communicate with them.

“The mistake I made is that I didn’t communicate with my customers and began dealing with new orders, instead of completing the pending ones,” she said.

NAMRA RESPONDS

Namra spokesperson Steven Ndorokaze says delays can arise for various reasons, such as when clearing agents fail to submit entries to Namra on time, importers omit required invoices, or payment obligations for assessed entries are not met by the importers.

“It is important to note that Namra operates within a broader ecosystem involving multiple stakeholders, including ground and cargo handlers, as well as clearing agents. Each party plays a crucial role in ensuring the timely release of goods, and delays can arise at any point in this chain,” he says.

Namra encourages clients to contact customs officials directly to verify the cause of any delay.

“This would allow us to address any concerns promptly and ensure a smooth and transparent clearance process for all parties involved,” he says.

Ndorokaze says Namra has set up a special clearing desk to expedite the clearing process on e-commerce goods at Hosea Kutako International Airport, in addition to enhancing coordination with key stakeholders and providing targeted training to clearing agents and importers.

The oversight of clearing agents’ operations falls under the purview of Namra as per the Customs and Excise Act of 1998.

This regulatory framework empowers Namra to take decisive action, including the refusal, cancellation or suspension of the licences of clearing agents in cases of non-compliance.

“We have finalised the rules for the licensing of clearing agents and direct trader inputs, and we are awaiting approval clearance by the Ministry of Justice and subsequent gazetting. Once gazetted, this would further streamline and enhance regulatory mechanisms,” Ndorokaze says.

POLICE CASES

Sergeant Theoness Tauxab from the Namibian Police says he is aware of clients who are considering reporting cases against Edwards.

He, however, says no complaints have been laid yet.

Tauxab says the number of people who have allegedly been defrauded is increasing, and two meetings are scheduled to take place today at 10h00 and 17h00 at the police headquarters in Windhoek to address the issue.

“Whoever is willing and wants to open cases should go to their respective police stations and open their cases and liaise with the investigating officers there,” Tauxab says.