Sale of cigarettes, other tobacco products now banned under Level 4
The national government has backtracked on its decision to lift the ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products under the Level 4 regulations.
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa said consumers could start buying them again under level four of the lockdown.
But on Wednesday night, when Cooperative Governance Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma released a list of the regulations to be relaxed from on Friday - she said after consultations and input from members of the public - they had to change their minds on lifting the ban on cigarette sales.
"The reasons are health-related. As you know, besides the effects of tobacco itself on a person's lungs but also sometimes the way tobacco is shared does not allow for social distancing, but it encourages the spread of the virus. If one of them has the virus, it will be shared amongst them, and then they will go home and spread it at home."
