Nationwide protest against cigarette ban set for Wednesday

QUEENSBURGH resident, Dwayne Robinson, who heads the Durban branch of Let Our Voices Be Heard SA, is spearheading a protest calling for the ban on cigarette sales to be lifted.

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The nation-wide protest is set for Wednesday, 8 July and in Durban, Robinson said the action was expected to draw a huge crowd leaving the Pavillion Shopping Centre and heading to the Durban High Court from 7am.

The protest, under the banner #SmokersUniteSA, according to Robinson, will take the form of a slow drive departing simultaneously from various assembly points.

In addition to the protest action in Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nelspruit and Pretoria residents are also set to take part in the protest.

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The move follows the halting of the sale of cigarettes at the start of the nationwide lockdown in late March 2020.

This ban was extended under level 4, and again under level 3 of the lockdown.

Last week president Cyril Ramaphosa said the ban would be lifted but was not able to give an exact date.

The route: 

1. From meeting point at Pavillion Roof Parking
2. Continue straight onto Jack Martens Dr
3. Slight right toward Harry Gwala Rd
4. Use the middle 2 lanes to turn slightly right onto Harry Gwala Rd
5. Use the left 2 lanes to take the N3 ramp to Durban
6. Merge onto N3
7. Keep right to stay on N3
8. Continue straight onto Dr A B Xuma St (signs for Dr A B Xuma Street)
9. Turn right onto Soldiers Way
10. Turn left onto Dr Pixley Kaseme St
11. Turn right onto Samora Machel St
12. Use the right lane to turn right onto Anton Lembede St
13. Arrive at location: Durban City Hall
14. Head west on Anton Lembede St toward Beach Walk
15. Turn left onto Dr Yusuf Dadoo St
16. Use the left lane to turn left onto Margaret Mncadi Ave
17. Turn left onto Dullah Omar Rd/Masonic Grove
18. Arrive at location: Durban High Court

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