tame TIMES - ALBERTON
25 August 2020 - www.tametimes.co.za
Bad news for smokers Prices of certain cigarette brands set to increase
Business Insider South Africa compared the prices of popular cigarette brands before and after the lockdown. They used historical price data from the Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP) at the University of Cape Town, led by Professor Corné van Walbeek. The research unit has published a number of studies on the price increases of illegal cigarettes during the lockdown. Business Insider compared those historical average prices to our own survey of post-lockdown prices in Cape Town this week. That shows how the prices of premium brands, such as Camel have skyrocketed by as much as 35%, while the prices of mid-market brands such as Winston and Rothmans have stayed about the same, even getting slightly cheaper. Marlboro is 30% more expensive, while Peter Stuyvesant is 19% more expensive. In a letter to retailers, British American Tobacco South Africa (Batsa), the largest cigarette manufacturer in South Africa, said it will be raising the
prices of its brands, including Peter Stuyvesant, Pall Mall and Dunhill, by between 4% and 10% to try and claw back some of the revenue lost after nearly five months of tobacco prohibition. According to Business Insider prices will go up on Monday, 24 August. This official price increase is in addition to the unofficial price increase presumably driven by retailers also trying to get back on their feet financially. “This will have a negligible impact on the losses suffered during the prohibition on legal sales but it will,
we believe, allow us to continue supporting or partners in the legitimate value chain,” said Batsa in the letter, dated 17 August. Tobacco groups have also indicated that smokers do not seem to trust that the ban will stay lifted, with smokers buying months of supplies at a time. Bongani Mshibe, director of corporate affairs and communication at JTI Southern Africa, which manufactures Camel, told Netwerk24 that some retailers sold twice as much on the first day the ban ended as they usually sell in a month.
The table below shows the pre-lockdown price compared to the current price, followed by the percentage difference.
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Nehawu Threathens Strike Over Covid-19 Safety. The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) says that it will move ahead with plans to strike against the government’s refusal to increase public servants’ salaries and a failure to offer adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) against the coronavirus, Business Tech reported. Its general-secretary Zola Saphetha told News24 that a strike at the National Health Laboratories Service will be used as a ‘launchpad’ for the implementation of its national programme of action. “Workers are extremely angry at the poor pace of transformation and government’s inability to improve the lives of public servants, including freezing their wage increase by reneging on the implementation of Resolution 1 of 2018, while watching the elite benefiting from the proceeds of corruption through PPE tenders and supply of other Covid-19 essentials,” he said. On Monday (24 August), workers will head to their employers’ offices to apply for a leave day on Tuesday. He added that lunch-hour pickets are planned between Monday and Thursday next week. Saphetha said that Nehawu will embark on a national day of action on 3 September across all of the provinces where memorandums will be handed over to senior government officials. He warned that if the government does not meet Nehawu’s demands by 10 September, the union will completely withdraw its labour. Read the best in local and national news, opinions pieces, recipes and more at www.tametimes.co.za
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25 August 2020
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25 August 2020
14 July 2020
A exiting Super Rugby Solidarity willwould stand‘It’sby a pain I’ve never perk up Rugby Championship experienced’
Springbok fullback rushed to hospital:
Sportsmen Against Intimidation
be fronting the respective international causes over two legs between the Test Solidarity today expressed its speech. This can never be tolerated.” arch-rivals. dissatisfaction about statements from Solidarity has further stated that it would If the cream of SA domestic franchises eight emphasis to the other side of the Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa on step in on behalf of any of the shifted equator, there would instantly be deeper the eight South African rugby players players targeted by the minister, as well curiosity every year over how our finest who refused to fall to their knees in as any other sportsman or woman who players weigh up against New Zealand support of the BLM movement during are disadvantaged in practising their counterparts - minus the intelligence profession due to their refusal to support a club match in England. that would more customarily be gleaned According to Werner Human, deputy the BLM movement. during the long Super Rugby slog. 14 July 2020 chief executive for legal matters and Hennie Bierman, head of the Occupational Springbok fullback Willie le Roux Also to consider: it has always been less than ideal (at least that’s how I feel) research at Solidarity, the minister has Guilds division at Solidarity, explained: underwent an appendectomy last week thattothe Jaguares of Super Rugby simply “No employer maysteers forceclear anyone no rightgap to intimidate victimise after being rushed to hospital. ever-prestigious Six Nations enforced year in or 2020, due players reappear soon afterwards, in at least 95 a political movement. Even the basis pandemic, of their support, or not, of for - has support surrendered more than a little he onCovid-19 would Register your interest for the British & Irish percent of playing-personnel cases, as the worse, no politician maywere interfere the BLM movement. behaviour of its mystique. When the Bulls in in the ntly heighten interest for“Such the 2021 Lionsbecause tickets inwe South 2021 to bend are Africa not prepared opposition to the BLM Pumas intotheconsider Championship. their heyday, example, they to do petition, with a fresher and of workplace to for force an employer falls completely outsidefeel the ambit the 2007-10 Le Roux told Sunday On that movement note, nobody saidis much the knee for BLM,weekly it does Rapport not meanthat we to behas racist absurd. This might Bok-laden side playing e sense of regrowth among the on so. their Professional sportsmen and women minister’s powers, and it infringes the find yet about the fate of the Argentinean he had a stomach ache last Tuesday night, movement and its harmful precepts refuse to grant others that freedom. (just in asa crammed with competing are already particularly precarious players’ nations. freedom of speech, beliefthe andCrusaders franchiseand if beliefs the SAshould sides do abandon whichWhat he thought was fromhowever, pasta he is had is unacceptable, to actually be opposed en, though, a tonic of another type top-bracket All Blacks) toward the end We Rugby and the Australasian religion. We are not even mentioning position with regard to job security. Super have come into play for Springbok of ordinary season, then again in a key eaten. because of the negative consequences victimise players because of their own heavyweight countries cosy up more cannot theirweeks constitutional freedom of of expression, for that matter knockout match.allow Just a few beyond rights it holds for all races. Although, just usiasts: the lack a preceding Super be 30-year-old fronting respective international The still went for a 10km run choice in the this regard. profoundly together. to be well.” what the minister is trying to dothat, heremany of violated the sameascustomers would y –tournament featuring players causes over two legsseeing between the Test on Wednesday before a doctor, who isneck to bring a forced expression of Human concluded: “For the minister our of theabout woods. arch-rivals. gave him an injection and Gaviscon. will come about if, in the interim, SA If the cream of SA domestic franchises However, the painseason. became unbearable and y shifts our four existing franchise stageemphasis of the We are optimistic Amazulu have been relegated four times shifted to the other side of the on Thursday, Lewould Roux’s mother took him to cipants into an expanded version that we will be ableinstantly to pick up maximum during the Premier Soccer League era equator, there be deeper e northern hemisphere’s PRO14 ... the Mediclinic in Somerset West. year over how our finest but they remain confident they willcuriosity points every against Bloemfontein Celtic engthening rumour, fuelled by the players weigh up against New Zealand “The doctor said my appendix, which he avoid the chop this season. (today). The boys have shown a positive murs from Australasia that the two counterparts minus the intelligence thenresponse removed,at was full of bacteria. Usuthu are languishing at the bottom of training after theBecause defeat rpowers there wish to “go it alone” that would more customarily be gleaned he was afraid that I might get an infection, the table with 24 points after 26 league against Wits (the 2-1 loss on Friday), “ per Rugby level in future. during the long Super Rugby slog. he wanted keep me inis hospital until at games. After two games, they are yet to Dlaminitodetailed. very tight at the smic shift like that, after quarter of a Also to consider: it“Ithas always been ury of loyalty to pro-era Super Rugby, least Saturday or Sunday. get off the mark since the resumption bottom. You can’t tell what will transpire. less than ideal (at least that’s how I feel) d provoke controversy and no lack of football, and with only four games Anything can still happen butI’ve we won’t “Ithat was really shocked. It’s a Rugby pain never the Jaguares of Super simply An enforced gap year in 2020, due ever-prestigious Six Nations steers clear efulness in some circles back here. left, have very little time to do so. They get relegated. I know some people have reappear soon afterwards, in at least 95 experienced. The doctor only told me to the Covid-19 pandemic, would of - has surrendered more than a little t would remove quite a significant percent of playing-personnel cases, as the shared the spoils with Baroka FC in a 0-0 started to write us off but we will bounce instantly heighten interest for the 2021 of its mystique. When the Bulls were in afterwards that if I had waited another day, on of the “same old faces” look to the Pumas thewe Championship. before succumbing a 2-1 back.inAll need to do is to Iconvert our my appendix would have burst. was really 2007-10 heyday, for example,tothey competition, with a fresher feel and theirstalemate mpionship, coming as it traditionally On that note, nobody has We’ve said much defeat at the hands of Bidvest Wits. chances in front of goal. got 12 might find their Bok-laden side playing some sense of regrowth among the scared and can’t describe the pain I was annually, in the immediate smoke yet about the fate of the Argentinean the Crusaders (just as crammed with four competing nations. Team Manager at Usuthu, Qedi Dlamini, points to fi ght for in our last games,” he of Super Rugby. experiencing.” franchise if the SA sides do abandon All Blacks) end By then, though, a tonic of another type top-bracket said, obviously, that toward they willthe give their added.who In their last four61 league cially when the South African LeSuper Roux, played Testsmatches, for the Rugbyhasand the Australasian season, then again a key the Usuthu will face Celtic, Black Leopards, may have come into play for Springbok of ordinary enge in Super Rugby has been a all to avoid relegation. “Weinknow heavyweight countriesto cosy up morein Springboks, is expected head to Japan match. of Justcollecting a few weeks beyond enthusiasts: the lack of a preceding Super knockout ful one, with interest by at least one importance points at thisprofoundly Stellenbosch FC and Highlands Park. together. that, many of the same customers would September to play for the Toyota Verblitz Rugby tournament featuring players right to the end of the finals series club. Verblitz are coached by former All from our neck of the woods. e, the Championship - usually held That will come about if, in the interim, SA a double round, too, something the Blacks mentor Steve Hansen. Rugby shifts our four existing franchise Le Roux has since returned home. participants into an expanded version of the northern hemisphere’s PRO14 ... a strengthening rumour, fuelled by the murmurs from Australasia that the two superpowers there wish to “go it alone” at Super Rugby level in future. A seismic shift like that, after quarter of a century of loyalty to pro-era Super Rugby, would provoke controversy and no lack of ruefulness in some circles back here. But it would remove quite a significant portion of the “same old faces” look to the Championship, coming as it traditionally has, annually, in the immediate smoke trail of Super Rugby. Especially when the South African challenge in Super Rugby has been a forceful one, with interest by at least one team right to the end of the finals series phase, the Championship - usually held over a double round, too, something the
SA exiting Super Rugby would perk up Rugby Championship
AmaZulu believe they will survive the dreaded drop