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South Africa destroys millions of illegal cigarettes

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by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – SOUTH African authorities have seized illicit tobacco with an estimated value of over R219, 87 million (US$15,4 million) in the 2020/2021 financial year.

This amounts to a potential prejudice in duties and value-added tax (VAT) estimated at over R163 million.

The 1 150 seizures (181,6 million sticks) was a more than 100 percent increase against the previous financial year (2019/20) that yielded 445 seizures with a value of R103,5 million.

Most seizures of the cigarettes occurred at Beit Bridge, Groblers Bridge, Kopfontein, Lebombo and Skilpadshek border posts.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) on Tuesday (today) began destroying more than 2 000 master boxes of illicit cigarettes with potential protected revenue estimated at R17,4 million in Pretoria.

Beyers Theron, Director: Customs Border Operations, Ports of Entry and Customs Compliance, said the cigarettes were either illicitly imported or illicitly manufactured in the country in contravention of Customs and Excise legislation.

He added that the seizure and destruction of illicit goods was an achievement based on the “whole of government approach” that is embedded in the Inter-Agency Working Group set up to deal with illicit trade in an integrated and coordinated manner.

Earlier this month, Customs officials at Beitbridge, supported by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), began destroying illicit cigarettes from previous seizures valued at over R30 million.

SARS recently established the National Rapid Response Team (NRRT) as an effort to compliment front-line operations and to provide agile and flexible deployment operations to major areas of risk.

NRRT is also responsible for rapid deployments at checkpoints at identified hotspots in all major provinces and ports of entry.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

 

Swallows’ last ditch attempt to save barred sponsorship

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by MTHULISI SIBANDA
Africa Editor
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – EFFORTS are underway to salvage the much- needed sponsorship Swallows Football Club have agreed with a blue-chip telecommunications company, only for the besieged Premier Soccer League (PSL) to reject.

All was set for the announcement of the shirt sponsorship by Telkom towards the end of the past season, to the extent of the parties scheduling a press conference to unveil the partnership in fanfare.

The PSL then threw spanners to the much-anticipated deal, citing conflict of interest. Fans decried the move as unfair and denying The Birds a vital source of income, especially in the economic uncertainty brought by the COVID-19 scourge .

The snub by the authorities emanated from the league already having deals with prime title sponsor, MultiChoice, and MTN.

Both companies, like Telkom, are in the telecommunications sector.

CAJ News Africa is reliably informed that the reborn Dube Birds, who finished the past campaign a credible sixth in their maiden year back in the topflight, retain hope that an agreement can be reached.

Telkom, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) – listed firm, is also pinning its hopes on these sensitive negotiations reaching a breakthrough.

Mooketsi Mocumi, Executive: Group Communication at Telkom, confirmed the organisation’s position in a response to an enquiry by CAJ News Africa.

“We are aware that Swallows FC is still in discussions with the PSL and we remain confident that the club and the PSL will find a solution that is beneficial to all parties,” the executive stated.

Mocumi dared not delve deeper into the delicate discussions, stating, “We are unable to give further details and await the decision of the PSL.”

The PSL has in recent weeks had its hands full with the taxing relegation/promotion playoffs that have proven to be the elite league’s legal nightmare of note.

The plagued playoffs kicked off this past weekend after weeks of uncertainty.

Chippa United defeated Richards Bay 2-1 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.

Swallows, meanwhile, remained tight-lipped on discussions with the mother body regarding the sponsorship.

“The CEO (Sipho Xulu) said ‘no comment’ at this stage,” Elasto Kapowezha, the Swallows manager, said in an interview with CAJ News Africa.

Without a shirt sponsor, Swallows have been sporting the “Bawhiti” banner, in a pro-bono arrangement with the Bahwiti Investments, the automotive repair and maintenance firm owned by club chairman, David Mogashoa.

Revered English sportswear apparel firm, is Swallows’ kit supplier.

Amid the proposed Telkom sponsorship hitting a deadlock, the Soweto-based side majorly relies on the R2 million monthly grant PSL pays each of the 16 teams in the top tier of South African football.

Enjoying a large following as one of the oldest sides in the country, Swallows are a sponsor’s paradise.

Fellow Soweto outfits, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, enjoy a lucrative sponsorship by rival telecommunications firm, Vodacom, but its unaffected by the conflict of interest clauses as the deals were already in place when MTN and MultiChioce entered partnerships with PSL.

Telkom itself has previously been involved as a PSL partner.

It sponsored the Telkom Knockout from 2006 until its demise ahead of the past season.

The telco, at the timely solely a landline company, also sponsored the one-day, four-team Charity Cup from 2007 to 2010 when the spectacular was removed from the football calendar.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

Avon supports violated children on Pride Month

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by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – GLOBAL beauty company, Avon Justine, has provided relief to abused children taken care of in a facility north of Johannesburg.

The company has joined forces with human rights activist and retired Constitutional Court Justice, Edwin Cameron, to celebrate Pride Month (June) by making a donation to Guild Cottage, of which Cameron is patron.

The donation, of personal care hampers comprising Avon Justine products, is for both the residents and caregivers at Guild.

Hampers consist of essential personal care products, that are critical during the advent of COVID-19 pandemic.

Momin Hukamdad, the Executive Commercial Marketing Director at Avon Justine, said since its inception some 135 years ago, Avon had advocated for complete emancipation of women.

“We have harnessed, and continue to leverage the power of beauty to create a better and safer world for women,” the official said.

“The commemoration of Pride Month resonates with our values as it speaks to the importance of giving women agency and the freedom to choose whom they want to love without any fear of violent reprisals, as has tragically been the case in this country.”

Pride Month is celebrated globally each year to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots.

“I am delighted that Avon has made this donation to a thoroughly deserving children’s project,” Cameron stated.

Children often and unfairly bear the brunt of maltreatment and physical and sexual abuse.

It is estimated that 42 percent of South Africa’s children have experienced some form of ill-treatment while 82 percent have either experienced or witnessed some form of victimisation.

This is according to the figures released by Optimus National Prevalence Study, the first-ever nationally representative study of child maltreatment in South Africa.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nissan rolls out momentous Navara for Africa

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by SAVIOUS KWINIKA 
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – THE new locally-produced Nissan Navara is now available in South Africa.

It has been developed with African terrain conditions in mind.

“Our continuous improvement process has seen us re-engineer the entire range of models to produce a Navara that’s perfectly suited to South African and ultimately African conditions, with options that make sense for our market: single and double-cab,” said Stefan Haasbroek, Marketing Director at Nissan South Africa.

These are two-wheel and four-wheel drives in both automatic and manual transmissions.

The 2021 Nissan Navara includes developments in styling, technology, safety and overall performance.

The all-new Nissan Navara also boasts an infotainment system with NissanConnect and 8″ touch screen, modernised styling and high-power specs.

It is powered by a 2.5 litre turbocharged diesel engine.

“We’re confident that with the technical changes and enhancements we’ve implemented, we are delivering the ultimate customer experience – a major upgrade to the current Navara many customers know and love,” Haasbroek said.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

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