What are the personal effects of lockdown on tobacco farmers? Considering the crop cycle, how do we protect the tobacco industry beyond lockdown, by allowing them to continue farming? How many jobs will be lost if the tobacco industry is not reopened immediately? Is government endorsing the illegal trade of cigarettes? How will this banning of the tobacco industry affect the commercialisation of black farmers? Jabulani Tembe is the Secretary of the Black Tobacco Farmers Association (BTFA) and he is urging all South Africans to join the #LiftTheBan movement at lifttheban.org – in association with SATTA.
