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The Citizen
a day ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Tobacco Bill bans sale of loose cigarettes – informal traders fear bankruptcy
A clause in the Bill bans the sale of single cigarettes, and if a person is found selling a 'loose' cigarette, they can be fined and/or imprisoned. The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill in South Africa prohibits the sale of single cigarettes (or loose cigarettes), which informal traders say could bankrupt their businesses. It also regulates other aspects of tobacco control, including public smoking, advertising, and packaging requirements. The Portfolio Committee on Health discussed the impact of the Bill on businesses earlier this week. Members have completed public hearings in all provinces and are now taking oral submissions in parliament. ALSO READ: Why is parliament dragging its feet with the Tobacco Bill? Tobacco Bill Mampapatla Madikoto, Limpopo Small, Medium Enterprises and Hawkers Association general secretary, told members of the portfolio committee that the ban on single cigarettes would cripple their operations, as many of their customers not only buy cigarettes but also other items. A clause in the Bill bans the sale of single cigarettes. If a person is found selling a 'loose' cigarette, they can be fined and/or imprisoned. He added that there are many reasons why people decide to buy single cigarettes, including a box being too expensive, or they are trying to control their smoking habit. Display of tobacco products Madikoto added that the clause will affect approximately two million informal traders, hawkers, spaza shop owners and home-based operators across the country. The proposed Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill aims to strengthen these measures further by introducing even stricter regulations. This includes banning the display of tobacco products at the point of sale, regulating electronic nicotine delivery systems, and potentially moving towards plain packaging. He told the members that the Bill's ban on displaying cigarettes on countertops or tables is impractical. ALSO READ: Tobacco bill won't curb smoking in the least Smoking outdoors The proposed Bill also seeks to hold traders liable if their customers are found smoking near their stalls in outdoor public places that are designated nonsmoking areas. Currently, tobacco legislation prohibits smoking in indoor public places, except for designated smoking areas that can be up to 25% of the indoor area. However, the government is considering a complete ban on smoking in indoor public places and certain outdoor public areas. The owner of the restaurant/pub, or employer, will be responsible for ensuring that the public space designated as a nonsmoking area is smoke-free. Selling online Madoda Khuzwayo, CEO and founder of SIP, told the committee that the Bill discriminates against online shopping. The Bill seeks to ban the sale and offer for sale of tobacco products online. Khuzwayo, who sells alcohol and tobacco products online, said this clause is unfair, as selling such products contributes significantly to his business. He highlighted that online retailers will not be able to list any tobacco products, while larger physical retailers are permitted to do so. ALSO READ: Pressure mounts for government to pass Tobacco Bill Underage smoking One of the reasons for the strict measures is to control underage smoking, which Khuzwayo has addressed in his business. 'When someone buys alcohol or cigarettes through our business, they will need to produce a physical identification document upon delivery, which will be captured into the system. 'But it is close to impossible for underage smoking to be prevented if children need to go into the store to make a purchase, because some look older and there will be no need to ask for proof of identity,' he added. He said the government can check online retailers' data to prove that alcohol and tobacco are not being sold to minors. Additionally, most of the websites that sell these items block minors. Khuzwayo has requested that the government consider removing the clause banning online tobacco sales. He highlighted that without the necessary amendments, the Bill risks discriminating against small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as e-commerce is many SMEs' main source of revenue. 'Without amendments, the Bill entrenches inequality, especially in townships, and excludes emerging small business players,' he said. NOW READ: Budget 3.0: Alcohol and cigarette prices will increase — here's by how much
IOL News
11-06-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Vaping industry calls for smarter nicotine policies as smoking rates surge in South Africa
While advocating for alternatives like e-cigarettes and vaping as viable harm reduction tools, Yeo pointed to the necessity of cessation support mandated by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which South Africa has yet to implement. Image: File photo The vaping industry has called for smarter nicotine policies as South Africa grapples with alarming increases in combustable tobacco smoking rates. This comes as Parliament continues to hold public consultations on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which seeks to impose stricter product and related product processing, regulate tobacco product and advertising, and standardise the 'packaging and appearance' of tobacco and electronic delivery system products. The Tobacco Bill prohibits leaves no room for any form of display of tobacco and electronic delivery systems, including both nicotine and non-nicotine products. Delivering oral submissions to the Portfolio Committee on Health on Wednesday, Kurt Yeo from Vaping Saved My Life made a plea not only for regulated alternatives but for a complete paradigm shift in how South Africa views nicotine consumption and tobacco harm reduction. 'I stand before you today, not as an opponent of regulations but a voice for a smarter, evidence-based approach to nicotine policy in South Africa. I represent the perspectives of consumers, especially smokers looking to quit and to those who have chosen safer alternatives. They deserve access to safe alternatives, accurate information, and non-coercive public health policy,' Yeo said. 'In real terms, more people smoke, snort, and chew tobacco than two decades ago, most of whom are in low middle-income countries. I believe it's because most of the attention has been directed at supply, and not addressing the demand. 'In South Africa, smoking prevalence has surged, from 6.7 million smokers in 2012 to 11.1 million in 2021, a staggering 65.7% increase. This is not due to the lack of regulation, but rather a failure of enforcement and the lack of cessation support. We need a standard set of robust, consistent reporting tools focused on nicotine consumption.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ With a mere 0.78% of South Africans managing to quit smoking in 2021, Yeo said the current policy landscape appeared ineffective, placing undue pressure on smokers by offering little more than ultimatums. While advocating for alternatives like e-cigarettes and vaping as viable harm reduction tools, Yeo pointed to the necessity of cessation support mandated by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which South Africa has yet to implement. 'We must be cautious not to criminalise addiction or alienate those trying to quit. Coercion will not achieve the results that education and support can. New evidence shows that non-combustible nicotine products carry significantly less risk. Lifetime cancer risk and toxic exposures are dramatically lower than with smoking,' Yeo said. 'We must shift from the harm-is-harm ideology to the risk continuum approach. That's what saves lives. E-cigarettes, or vapes, are significantly less harmful than combustible tobacco.' The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) said it has become increasingly concerned about the to-date unregulated nature of Vapour Products in South Africa, and to this end sought to address this lacuna. ARB CEO, Gail Schimmel, said they were in support of the ban in so far as it relates to traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes.
IOL News
02-06-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Government aims for zero deaths in upcoming winter initiation season
Part of the strategy includes stricter enforcement against illegal initiation schools, which often operate without trained caregivers or medical oversight. As South Africa enters the traditional winter initiation season, the government is setting an ambitious target: zero deaths among initiates. This comes after a tragic season last year, when at least 93 young boys lost their lives during cultural initiation rites across the country. On Friday, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa officially launched the 2025 Winter Initiation Season, emphasising that the safety and dignity of initiates must be the top priority. Speaking at the launch event, Minister Hlabisa acknowledged the challenges ahead but stressed that every life must be protected. 'We cannot accept any more deaths. We owe it to these young men and their families to ensure their journey into adulthood is safe, dignified, and respected,' he said. The winter season, which typically sees a spike in the number of initiation ceremonies — especially in provinces like the Eastern Cape and Limpopo — has often been marred by incidents of dehydration, sepsis, physical abuse, and, in some cases, illegal schools operating without proper oversight. To change this, Hlabisa called for stronger collaboration between traditional leaders, government departments, health professionals, and local communities. 'This is not a challenge for one sector to tackle alone. It requires all of us — government, traditional councils, families, and community members — to work together,' he said. The initiative has received backing from Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Health. Chairperson Dr. Sibongiseni Dhlomo said the committee supports the minister's zero-death goal and stressed the importance of accountability within traditional structures. 'We must continue engaging with our traditional leaders, because the role they play in overseeing these schools is crucial,' said Dr Dhlomo. 'We need to ensure that initiation practices are monitored, regulated, and rooted in both cultural integrity and safety.'
Daily Maverick
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
Senior manager claims she was removed after blowing whistle on scam at Uitenhage hospital
The acting district manager for Nelson Mandela Bay's clinics and the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital claims she was removed from her position because she exposed a scam at the Uitenhage hospital. The acting district manager for Nelson Mandela Bay's clinics and Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, Sonia Lupondwana, has been removed from her position. Lupondwana claimed on Tuesday that she was being 'silenced' because she blew the whistle on a scam at Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, inside which she claimed state officials were running a private hospital for payment using resources from the Eastern Cape Department of Health. The department's spokesperson, Siyanda Manana, said Lupondwana's claims were false. He confirmed that a rogue private hospital was being run from inside the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, but said that staff members, not Lupondwana, had informed the department of this. 'We are investigating. Surely we won't silence a person who means good. If we did, it means we are part of the corruption,' he said. The head of the department, Dr Rolene Wagner, wrote to Lupondwana that she had instituted an investigation into the issues raised by her. Wagner added that Lupondwana would be reassigned as the director of primary healthcare — a position that reports to the district manager. Before this, staff at the district health office lodged a litany of complaints against Lupondwana at the provincial legislature in an unsuccessful attempt to have her removed. The allegations included that Lupondwana failed to act during a life-threatening strike at the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital this month. Community cries for help in that instance led to Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Health getting involved in an attempt to restore services at the hospital. Lupondwana said she failed to intervene because she had been suffering from raised blood pressure and could not deal with an emotionally charged issue like the strike. In a letter to Wagner, Lupondwana alleged that road accident files at the hospital were sold for R600 each, that car tyres were bought for private individuals using the hospital's budget and that parts of the hospital were run as a private hospital using state resources. She said she had to handle the strike without assistance. Manana said Lupondwana had been appointed to her position pending a review of the department's organisational structure. 'Her moving to her substantive post as director for primary healthcare is standard administrative practice and does not amount to a suspension or punitive action,' he said. 'Our primary objective is to improve service delivery to the people of Nelson Mandela Bay. This requires teamwork, collaboration and focus. 'The department is unable to comment in detail on the ongoing internal processes, but we wish to state that no disciplinary action has been instituted against Lupondwana at this time. Any internal preliminary assessments or investigations do not equate to formal disciplinary action. 'Should formal processes be initiated, due process will be followed and the employee concerned will be informed accordingly.' Lupondwana said she had obtained a court order for her to be appointed as the district health manager, and that only the MEC, Ntandokazi Capa, could remove her.
IOL News
18-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Health Minister's remarks complicate SA's efforts to secure much-needed funding
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi briefs the media on efforts to fill the funding gap left by the US government following its decision to cut support for South Africa's response to HIV/AIDS and TB programmes. I REFER to your Friday edition: 'SA won't beg USA for funding – Motsoaledi' It is understandable to state the country won't beg but why even say it when the very statement is intended to irritate the donor. It is clear under every single set of circumstances that South Africa does not have enough funding to run its medical health systems. Already we are seeing how doctors are not being paid their overtime and other doctors can't find jobs despite the empty posts at various hospitals. We also read how hospitals are collapsing around the country. Despite this, the Health Minister wants us to believe that all is well on the ground and that all the funders are willing to come forward immediately. This statement is not convincing, and we are hearing from medical practitioners who are at the coal face they are concerned. The co-founder of the Treatment Action Campaign, Zackie Achmat,at least appeared at the Portfolio Committee on Health and his statements brought them back to reality. The warning from Achmat is that funding cuts can lead to gaps in service delivery. In essence I am saying that it does not help to make veiled threats against the very country that has been an extremely generous donor to South African health care over many, many years. MICHAEL BAGRAIM | Highlands Estate
