Skip to main content

Our members include farmers, processors, manufacturers, importers, exporters and distributors of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Together, SATTA represents significant players across the domestic tobacco value chain, from seed to smoke. We pride ourselves on being involved in legal activity and are strongly opposed to the illicit trade of tobacco, and to illicit operators that operate with impunity.

We support workable, practical and sensible tobacco regulation and are opposed to extreme regulatory measures which will only encourage further illicit activities and, ultimately, will not achieve the objective of reducing the consumption of tobacco products.

Our Mission

Support the local
leaf industry.

Oppose and expose illegal tobacco operators.

Support transformation in rural communities.

Contribute to sensible tobacco control and harm reduction measures.

Our Campaigns

STOP THE TOBACCO BILL!

The new Tobacco Products & Electronic Delivery Systems (TPEDS) Control Bill will have a significant negative impact on South Africa, as it will criminalise smoking, snuff and hookah pipes in certain circumstances – while other more urgent priorities go unaddressed.

THE ILLICIT TRADING IN TOBACCO IS A STATE OF NATIONAL DISASTER

SATTA spokesperson, Francois van der Merwe, weighs in

Parliament has again been told how the illicit cigarette trade costs the South African economy billions of rands and that jobs are also at risk. Some estimates put the cost to the industry at around R20 billion – in 2023 alone. This was among the issues that came up when the portfolio committee in Parliament discussed the new Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill recently.

HOW TO SPOT ILLICIT CIGARETTES

The best indicator of a legal pack of cigarettes is price. A pack selling for less than R26.22 is unlikely to have paid the Minimum Collectible Tax (MCT) due to Government.

In addition, the following elements will ALWAYS appear on a pack of legal cigarettes:

  • The SA diamond stamp

  • The correct/compliant health warnings

  • The national quitline number

  • The tar/nicotine reading

  • The propensity marking

A MESSAGE FOR DECEMBER

South Africa’s tobacco industry body, the South Africa Tobacco Transformation Alliance, calls for increased action against illicit tobacco dealers during the festive season, a time of increased consumption of tobacco products.

READ MORE

SELLING ILLICIT CIGARETTES IS A CRIME.