Farmers organisation calls for probe into tobacco ban
Farmers organisation TLU SA has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to establish a judicial commission to investigate the illicit trade in cigarettes during the lockdown.
The organisations wants the probe to establish if there is any truth to reports that some government officials are directly benefiting from the ban on tobacco trade.
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Government has vehemently defended the ban on tobacco products on the ground of health, with Cooperative Governance Minister Dlamini Zuma forced to deny a friendship with cigarette trader Adriano Mazzotti.
TLU SA president Louis Meintjies believes the ban on tobacco products is an exercise in futility.
"The ban on the sale of tobacco products serves no purpose since smokers turned to the black market to buy cigarettes. The only people to benefit from the situation, are those involved in the illegal trade of cigarettes,” he says.
"It is the government’s responsibility to investigate these damning accusations and report back to South Africa."
Meintjies adds: "Unfortunately, the government’s record of dragging their feet when it comes to investigating corruption among its members, substantiates the image of a government that condones corruption.”