[imagesource: sxc.hu.]

Thanks to the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association (FITA), who have taken the State to court to contest the tobacco sales ban, we now know the government’s reasoning behind the ban.

This was revealed in court papers circulated earlier in the week, with the legal wrangling expected to culminate in a hearing starting June 9.

Earlier this morning, British American Tobacco SA (Batsa) also joined in the fun, releasing a statement saying that they would start urgent legal proceedings challenging the extension of the ban on tobacco sales under alert level 3.

Below via TimesLIVE:

The company said the government’s continued ban on legal tobacco sales is threatening the survival of the legal tobacco sector and the livelihoods it directly supports. It said the continued ban on cigarette and tobacco product sales has only succeeded in significantly growing a massive and nationwide illegal industry at the direct expense of law-abiding businesses, citizens and taxpayers.

The company said it has made every effort to constructively engage with the government since the ban came into force, including making detailed submissions together with other interested parties to various ministers, as well as directly to the presidency.

“To date, no formal response has been received from the government, and Batsa has also not been included in any of the government’s consultation process so far,” the company said.

By Batsa’s estimation, the National Treasury is losing a staggering R35 million in tax revenue for every day the tobacco sales ban continues.

Batsa’s head of external affairs, Johnny Moloto, said that whilst the company supported the government’s initial decision to go into lockdown, enabling our healthcare sector time to prepare, their patience has now worn out.

He said government has decided to maintain the ban on tobacco products under the guise of limiting the spread of Covid-19 while allowing all other previously banned consumer products to go back on sale.

“Given the situation, and the lack of any response from the government despite our ongoing efforts to engage with them, we are now commencing urgent legal proceedings,” Moloto said.

Looks like the State will have to lawyer up, because the tobacco industry isn’t going down without a fight.

For those wanting a break from the tobacco sales ban rage, you may consider moaning about army brutality and failed Sassa grants instead.

[source:timeslive]