The alliance, the national voice of informal trade in SA, added that an ongoing ban would add to government's already enormous social grant burden and turn “legitimate informal traders into beggars and illicit tobacco dealers into billionaires”.
The alliance, the national voice of informal trade in SA, added that an ongoing ban would add to government's already enormous social grant burden and turn “legitimate informal traders into beggars and illicit tobacco dealers into billionaires”.
Cigarette sales make up a sizeable portion of the average informal traders’ sales, and in many cases, 100% of sales. Banning cigarettes would put millions of South Africans at risk, and rob them of their dignity, it said.It pointed out that informal traders can only access the R350 per month Covid-19 government relief, and don’t have access to the other assistance provided to formalised SMEs or bigger businesses.
“Government is turning legitimate informal traders into beggars, smokers into criminals, and illicit tobacco dealers into billionaires,” said Rosheda Muller, Saita’s president. “Where millions of traders were previously able to operate with dignity and confidence, knowing they were contributing positively to the economy, and importantly, their families, their ability to trade has been ripped from them by a government that is unwilling to listen or to consult.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Informal traders alliance pleads with NCCC to lift tobacco banThe ban on the sale of tobacco products has been in place since the initial lockdown on 26 March.
Read more »
Continuing ban on alcohol and tobacco is life threatening for addicts: expertThe ongoing ban on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products during the lockdown has tortured and left addicted South Africans with severe withdrawal symptoms.
Read more »
'We are desperate': Gauteng informal traders battling under lockdownA non-profit organisation representing thousands of informal traders in Gauteng on Thursday called on the government to open up the economy to allow them to work and feed their families.
Read more »
Dlamini-Zuma pushes for tobacco, alcohol ban to continue until Level 1 lockdownCooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has told the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) that the sale of tobacco and alcohol should continue to be banned until the country reaches Level 1 of the lockdown.
Read more »
Booze industry calls for urgent reopening under Level 3The sale of tobacco and alcohol could continue to be banned until the country reaches Level 1 of the lockdown, cooperative governance minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma recently said.
Read more »
Will the tobacco ban be rolled into SA's level 3 lockdown regulations?Will the ban on cigarettes be extended even further, into level three of the lockdown regulations?
Read more »