Across South Africa in general, cigarettes were four times easier to access than alcohol – the sale of which is also banned, the data showed.

"One in five people in South Africa currently smoke, and approximately one in ten smokers were able to access cigarettes during lockdown. The continued access to cigarettes in informal settlements could imply informal trade," the HSRC said.

News24 hit the streets of two of the country's major metros, Cape Town and Pretoria, to find out just how easily available tobacco products were during the lockdown. We also spoke to smokers who had found access spots.

Loosies, boxes and cartons

In Cape Town, it took only four minutes and 28 seconds to find the first pack of cigarettes for sale. Another three minutes to find a second box. And, in under an hour, News24 had found a full carton to buy - 10 packs of 20. The brands: Stix, Derby and Sharp.

In Pretoria, it took only 15 minutes for News24 to find its first dealer, after approaching a man in Mamelodi who signalled that he had cigarettes by placing two fingers on his lips, gesturing taking a drag of a cigarette.

The man offered up five packs of Camel filter and two packs of Dunhill Courtleigh blend, for R60 each, and said he could get other cigarettes. These were the only conventional brands of cigarettes that News24 managed to find in Pretoria.

In Pretoria, News24 drove through the CBD where loose draws were freely available at R5 per cigarette. In Pretoria West, a dealer was selling a brand called Sharp for R70 a packet.

In the upmarket suburbs in Pretoria East, News24 found a local café that was out of cigarettes, but still willing to sell cigars and snuff (a smokeless tobacco product) at retail price.

Another local grocery store admitted to selling cigarettes during the lockdown, but said they had since run out. The cashier informed News24 that they would be getting stock of Sharp later this week.

A parking guard at a shopping complex was selling a brand called Remington Gold for R70 a pack, while a security guard at an estate was selling Sharp and Pall Mall at R65 per pack. 

Disclaimer If this post is your copyrighted property, please message this user or email us your request at [email protected] with a link to this post

 

0 0 ^x

Share

Send gift

Add to IG