21 Mar 2021

Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe says since the inception of the tobacco levy as at March 2021, government had collected P411 397 620 32.

Mr Lelatisitswe said the tobacco levy was introduced in 2014, and had mainly been used for running anti-tobacco awareness campaigns.

He noted that the levy had not benefited those who were intended to benefit as there were governance structure-related challenges associated with the Tobacco Levy Implementation Committee.

Mr Lelatisitswe also said his ministry had over the last few months been working on those, adding that they had recently been resolved.

He highlighted that the intended beneficiaries of the funds were civil society organisations and citizen based companies with projects or any activity intended to combat tobacco and tobacco products use as well as minimise their harmful effects.

The assistant minister also said health care workers and law enforcement agencies were among those billed to benefit from the levy through capacity building.

He cited reasons for the introduction of the tobacco levy, saying they included establishing treatment, rehabilitation and counselling clinics for tobacco users as well as to promote projects and activities designed to combat the use of tobacco products and their harmful effects; to provide training for health workers and promote advocacy for tobacco control programmes.

Others are to support non-governmental and community based organisations in tobacco control, to support research on issues related to tobacco use, empower law enforcement agencies in their implementation of legislation relevant to the control of tobacco and tobacco products, and to support country participation at various national and international fora on the control of tobacco and tobacco products.

MP Mephato Reatile of Jwaneng/Mabutsane had asked the minister when the levy on tobacco was introduced and reasons for introducing it.

He also wanted to know how much had been collected from inception to date, and who the intended beneficiaries of the funds were.

He further wanted to know the impact the levy had on those it was intended to benefit. ends