Concerned stakeholders took to the streets on Tuesday calling on government to act with urgency against illicit tobacco trade which results in losses to South African Revenue Service (Sars) of around R19 million daily – and about R7 billion annually.
Food & Allied Workers’ Union (Fawu) secretary general, Katishi Masemola, said around 11 000 jobs were at stake if government did not urgently intervene.
Tobacco farmers, trade unionists and local cigarette manufacturers joined the march demanding an “immediate ban” on illegally traded cigarettes and called on Sars to up its resources to fight illicit trade.
CAPTION
Fawu secretary general, Katishi Masemola.
