Challenge to tobacco ban to be heard in August
The application by British American Tobacco and nine other to unban the sale of tobacco products will only be heard in August, according to the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai).
The parties are challenging the continued ban of the sale of tobacco products under level 3 of the lockdown.
The case was meant to be heard in the Western Cape High Court on 30 June.
The CEO of Saai Francois Rossouw says all applicants are disappointed at the latest development.
He says the initial date was agreed upon by the state and applicants.
“We received communication this morning from our attorneys that the date has been postponed to 5 and 6 August. Now this is very irregular for an urgent court application and we are still trying to determine the reasons for why this has happened.”
Government has, in a separate court case challenging ban, told the High Court in Pretoria that the temporary ban would help smokers quit the habit amid the Covid-19 pandemic.