Fita
Fita withdraws tobacco ban appeal after talks with Cogta
Fita had approached the Supreme Court of Appeal after The High Court in Pretoria dismissed its bid to appeal an earlier ruling that upheld the ban.
Fita approached the SCA after the High Court in Pretoria dismissed its bid to appeal an earlier ruling that upheld the ban.
The bid to have the ban overturned is spearheaded by industry giant British American Tobacco and represents the interests of tobacco farmers, vendors and consumers.
With SA the only country to have enforced a ban on the sale of tobacco products to mitigate effects of COVID-19, Fita said it had studied the latest judgment and was adamant that it stood on sound reasonable ground to have the ban overturned.
The leave to appeal case was heard on Wednesday following the dismissal of Fita’s application seeking to force government to reinstate the sale of the products during the lockdown.
Fita argued that Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma did not weigh all relevant facts properly when the decision was made to ban the sale of tobacco products.
Government has continuously opposed the sale of cigarettes during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
The association is considering its options on whether to challenge the continued ban on the sale of cigarettes.
Advocate Marumo Moerane went before the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday to defend government’s decision to ban the sale of cigarettes under level four of the national lockdown.
Lawyers for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said although the body of knowledge around the virus was increasing, action had to be taken on the basis of what was known about the risks of smoking.
Hearings in the matter are under way before a full bench of the Pretoria High Court.
Fita has questioned the national coronavirus command council’s authority to make the decision which it deems as unconstitutional and invalid.
The president said he should have been the one to announce the overturning of the decision.
The association was urged by legal representatives for the Presidency to halt its pursuit to lift the embargo on the sale of cigarettes until President Cyril Ramaphosa outlines his measures on the easing of lockdown regulations.