Promising signs emerge on cigarette, booze bans

The court challenge by British American Tobacco South Africa (Batsa) against the lockdown cigarette sales ban disappeared, suddenly. This happened after the government’s National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) sent an apparently satisfactory response to Batsa’s complaint.

The tobacco company says it will “pursue further discussions with government on the formulation and application of the regulations under the Covid-19 lockdown”.

It added: “We are convinced that by working together, we can find a better solution that works for all South Africans and removes the threat of criminal sanction from 11 million tobacco consumers in the country.”

That may indicate the two parties have reached – or are close to – some sort of compromise which could see cigarettes unbanned. That would not be surprising, given the government’s see-saw attitude to tobacco … one minute allowing it then, next, banning it again.

Although there is a flimsy argument for the ban – as articulated by passionate anti-smoking minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma – the country has already lost hundreds of millions of rands in excise duties.

If the cigarette ban is rolled back then, perhaps, the ban on alcohol sales may be next.

Millions of people are holding their collective breath.

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