- Independent research shows 54% of cigarettes sold in South Africa are illegal, which means the South African Revenue Service (Sars) didn’t collect any sin tax on those smokes.
- The illicit trade means anti-smoking laws don’t work as well, because even if the government puts up the price of cigarettes to get people to stop smoking, they can still get their fix cheaply.
- The current situation has been a long time coming – Big Tobacco tactics, state capture and COVID-19 sales bans all played a role. Watch this video for more details.
- Read the full script here.
- READ MORE: What’s behind the Big Tobacco job cuts? A guide to SA’s illegal tobacco trade after COVID.
Joan van Dyk was a health journalist, senior health journalist and news editor at Bhekisisa between 2017 and 2023.
