Cigarette sale ban
Alcohol, tobacco, hospitality industries look to Mboweni to ease struggles
The alcohol industry recently reported that it lost R36.3 billion in sales revenue as a result of the three lockdown-related bans.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced sweeping amendments to lockdown regulations on Saturday night, including a lift on the ban on tobacco and alcohol sales.
Fita approached the SCA after the High Court in Pretoria dismissed its bid to appeal an earlier ruling that upheld the ban.
Advocate Karrisha Pillay, representing Co-operative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, on Thursday quoted a number of studies and research done that showed smokers were at higher risk of contracting severe respiratory diseases.
She said the minister believes that while tobacco use may not increase the risk of contracting COVID-19, it could result in a more severe form of the disease.
Advocate Marumo Moerane told the full bench of the court that the legal challenge was not in the public’s interest as asserted by the association in its legal bid.
The court has heard arguments from legal representatives of the minister and those of the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita), which is seeking to have the regulations governing the sale ban set aside.
Fita has questioned the national coronavirus command council’s authority to make the decision which it deems as unconstitutional and invalid.
The sale of the products remained prohibited under level 3 lockdown and smokers across the nation decided to make their anger felt in a series of protests on Tuesday.
Government has come under fire from smokers around the country for refusing to allow the sale of cigarettes from Monday – when the country moves to level 3 lockdown - but giving alcohol the green light.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said she and her cabinet colleagues had chosen to protect lives.
Without giving specific names, the alliance on Wednesday said it was clear that other interests were now at play.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has come under fire for her position on cigarette sales.
The Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA) launched an urgent court bid for government to lift the ban and declare these products essential goods.
Party president Velenkosini Hlabisa has told Eyewitness News that lifting these bans would reverse the gains achieved in the last few weeks of the lockdown.
The Department of Correctional Services said a fight broke out in the facility when a group of inmates demanded cigarettes and wanted to have their cases heard immediately.
The firm said instead of going to the courts, it had decided to pursue further discussions with government on the regulations under the COVID-19 lockdown.
The facts - at the start and end of your working day. #Coronavirus #COVID-19 #SouthAfrica #LockdownSouthAfrica
The organisation exists to protect and further establish the business, legislative and constitutional interests and rights of its members and the tobacco industry by lobbying among other methods.