Judge Rules Chinese condoms Too Small For South Africa

When it comes to condoms in South Africa, size matters.

A South African court on Friday halted the shipment of 11 million female condoms from China, saying they were too small, made from the wrong material, and not approved by the World Health Organization, according to AFP.

Judge Sulet Potterill of the Pretoria high court axed a decision by the country"s finance minister to award a contract to a firm called Siqamba Medical, which planned to buy the Phoenurse-brand condoms from China.

The ruling was sparked by rival firm, Sekunjalo Investments Corporation.  Officials from the company went to court after losing a bid to supply condoms that were 20 percent larger than the Chinese ones.

The judge said the matter was urgent because the distribution of condoms is vital to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

The court also found that the Chinese condoms are made from polyurethane and not the govement-approved nitrile rubber.

Siqamba Medical was to deliver the condoms by Aug. 31 of next year.

According to the CIA World Factbook, South Africa has more people living with HIV/AIDS infections than any country in the world, with 5.6 million of its nearly 50 million people carrying the virus.