Media attention: "Failure to end the illicit cigarette trade has cost SA billions"

As reported on in the March 2024 e-newsletter, Nicole Vellios and Corné van Walbeek published an article in BMJ Open looking at how much revenue the Government of South Africa had lost due to the illicit tobacco trade between 2002 and 2022. This article generated considerable media attention, and also came to the attention of the SARS commissioner. We hope that this research will have the impact that it was intended to have, namely to encourage SARS to implement measures to secure the cigarette supply chain.

Nicole and Corné wrote an opinion piece in the Business Day titled: "Failure to end the illicit cigarette trade has cost SA billions" published on 26th March, discussing how the sales ban in 2020 created an opportunity for illicit manufacturers and traders to expand their operations. The media release also received much interest from the media, summarised below:

WRITTEN MEDIA ARTICLES

27 March 2024:

• Ryan, C, writing for Moneyweb: Illicit cigarettes account for nearly 60% of the SA market.

• Daily Investor: Edward Kieswetter kisses R119 billion goodbye.

• EastCoastRadio: Billions in SA revenue going up in smoke due to illicit cigarettes – study.

• 2oceansvibenews: Illegal cigarettes make up nearly 60% of the south African market.

• Thorne, S, writing for BusinessTech: Massive headache for Kieswetter – R119 billion up in smoke.

 

 

 

28 March 2024:

• IT-Online: Illegal cigarettes cost SA billions.

• Neethling, B, writing for the Daily Investor: BAT feels the pain of illicit cigarette trade – slashes jobs.

• Opperman, I, writing for the Citizen: SARS loses R119 billion in tax revenue due to illicit cigarette sales since 2002.

• Jacaranda FM: Billions in SA revenue going up in smoke due to illicit cigarettes – study.

• George, D, writing for the Democratic Alliance: Illicit Tobacco Trade a reflection of a failing government.

• George, D, writing for politicsweb: Illicit tobacco trade costs govt billions.

2 April 2024:

• Child, K, writing for the BusinessDay: Illicit tobacco market hits jobs at BATSA and its suppliers.

• West, E, writing for DFA: British American Tobacco scales down operations in SA due to illicit cigarette trade.

• West, E, writing for Independent Online: British American Tobacco scales down operations in SA due to illicit cigarette trade.

3 April 2024: Jacob, S, writing for the Daily Investor: Nine areas SARS is targeting in 2024. 

 

RADIO INTERVIEWS

2 April 2024:

• AFM. Mediated Conversation: Failure to end the illicit cigarette trade has cost country billions.

• Radio 702 (no link available).

• Smile FM (no link available).

TV INTERVIEWS

3 April 2024: eNCA (no link available).
4 April 2024: Newsroom Afrika.