UPDATE: Union to march against illicit tobacco trade
Several intersections will be affected by the march.
The trade union Fawu is to march against the illicit trade in the tobacco, sugar and other industries in Pretoria on Tuesday.
It will deliver a memorandum of demands at National Treasury in Church Square.
The Food and Allied Workers’ Union said the most urgent demand was for the SA Revenue Service (Sars) to curb the effect of illegal trade on the economy.
“We want National Treasury to fund Sars to improve the capabilities of individual officers and its overall institutional capacity to monitor the borders and do inspection internally at factories,” said Fawu general secretary Katishi Masemola.
“We also want Sars to clamp down on illegal cigarette factories suspected of illicit trade given an alleged R7 billion rands loss in tax revenue.”
Another demand stated was a speedy intervention by the National Treasury.
“Our local tobacco industry is suffering from illegal traders increasingly flooding the market with counterfeit tobacco products,” Fawu said in a statement.
ALSO READ: Streets to be affected by FAWU march
It suggested that Sars redeployed its previous investigative units to clamp down on the illegal-traders.
They should crack down on illegal traders making billions of rands by selling contraband products for far below the cost price.
The union said it wanted the demands to be met with urgency in order for tax-compliance and law-abidance to be encouraged in society.
“We have heard first hand from our members in the tobacco industry how this has affected them over the last couple of years especially in small towns,” said the union.
“Legal tobacco companies struggle to compete due to illegal goods flooding the market with cheap counterfeit products,” the statement read.
The union further expressed concern over the health of those consuming the illicit products.
“We are also concerned about the general health of consumers as these counterfeit tobacco products are not verified by services such as SA Bureau of Standards.”
ALSO READ: VIDEO: A tobacco-free Tshwane can be a reality – MMC
The effects of illicit trade on job security were also said to be a concerning factor as huge losses were made in revenue.
The march is set to be supported by the SA Federation of Trade Unions, British American Tobacco, the Fairplay movement and legal traders from small business groups.
Tshwane metro police department spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said: “The marchers will gather at the Tshwane Events Centre, next to WF Nkomo Street, from 10:00, and they will depart to the National Treasury at Church Square by 11:00.”
Marchers were expected to then join WF Nkomo street and proceed east until they reach the National Treasury’s office.
Intersections expected to be affected along WF Nkomo street include:
• Es’kia Mphahlele Drive
• Cowie Street
• Prince’s Park Avenue
• Kgosi Mampuru Street
• Sophie de Bruyn Street
• Bosman Street
“The marchers are expected to reach the National Treasury at Church Square by 13:00, and they will disperse at 14:00,” Mahamba said.
The alternative streets which motorists were advised to use were:
• Struben Street
• Johannes Ramokhoase Street
• Pretorius Street
• Francis Baard Street
• Nana Sita Street
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
