
British American Tobacco is resuming its legal challenge against the ban on the sale of tobacco products after it says the government betrayed its trust.
This week, after it became clear the sales ban would remain in place, Johnny Moloto, head of external affairs for British American Tobacco South Africa, said the company’s trust in government has been abused and taken advantage of.
The company said on Friday in a statement that it was “commencing urgent legal proceedings to challenge the government‘s decision to extend the ban on tobacco sales during level 3″.
Batsa said it was supported in this action by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) as well as others in the tobacco value chain, including consumers, tobacco farmers and retailers.
Moloto says it withdrew its legal challenge to the continued ban on the sale of cigarettes in level 4 after receiving a letter from the state law adviser in which it saw “some semblance of hope that we could get the ban lifted”, and after “being led to believe that the government would engage with us directly over the ban for us to be included in level 3″.
But he says the company‘s efforts to engage with the government over lifting the ban were ignored. And on Thursday it was confirmed that the ban would remain.