Sale of cigarettes remain illegal, says Cogta
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs says the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products remains illegal during the 21-day national lockdown period.
Numerous retailers took cigarettes off their shelves after the lockdown took effect – suspending the sale of cigarettes and various other goods and products.
Despite these regulations in place, the Western Cape local government announced that cigarettes may be sold during the lockdown, but only together with essential goods.
The province’s Department of Finance and Economic Opportunities said: “We realise also that there has been some confusion about what stores are able to remain open to provide essential goods. We can confirm the following (in alignment with SAPS Western Cape): Cigarettes may be sold during the lockdown, but only together with essential goods.”
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But Cogta says no such directive has been made at national structures.
“The sale of tobacco, as the regulations stand right now, is not permissible as it does not fall in the category of essential services,” says the department’s Lungi Mtshali.
“There is a process of adding items to that list of essential services during the lockdown and we don’t feel that that process was followed.”
Mtshali adds there are no talks to add the sale of tobacco to the list.
“There is a meeting tomorrow (Thursday), maybe that will come up then.”