The South Africa Tobacco Control Data Initiative website launches on World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2021

Since early 2020, Development Gateway, in partnership with REEP, has engaged many individuals in South Africa about their data requirements in tobacco control. That information, combined with primary and secondary research, has culminated in a brand-new public website with local information on tobacco control – the South Africa Tobacco Control Data Initiative. 

The website provides policy makers, civil society, academia and the public with accurate, representative and comprehensive data on a variety of topics pertinent to tobacco control in South Africa. These include disaggregated smoking prevalence, the health burden of tobacco on the South Africa economy, effective tobacco control policies, illicit cigarette consumption and e-cigarette use in South Africa. The website can be accessed at https://southafrica.tobaccocontroldata.org/.

The website will be launched on World No Tobacco Day, 31 May, in partnership with the National Department of Health, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and many other partners. Please join us for this virtual event on Monday 31st May from 10am to 12pm SAST by registering via this link.

Website features include the Health Burden of Tobacco Page, which indicates that tobacco use costs South Africa R42 billion every year due to healthcare expenses and productivity loss. In 2016 there were an estimated 25,708 deaths from smoking-related causes in South Africa. The website uses charts and infographics to contextualise the results.

The Impact of Policy Page explores the policies that are effective for helping people quit tobacco. The website provides information and success stories from other countries to provide context for the situation in South Africa.

There is a wealth of information on the website, and we encourage you to explore. Over time, the site will be updated with additional information.

DG and REEP would like to thank all the partners that worked with us in building this website, including the National Department of Health, the National Council Against Smoking, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the Human Sciences Research Council, the Cancer Association of South Africa, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, the TAG (Tobacco, Alcohol and Gambling Advisory, Advocacy and Action Group), and others.