The state’s attempt to buy itself more time has fallen flat, and whether they like it or lump it, the government face a courtroom showdown next week.

A ‘non-commissioned’ SANDF soldier, who cannot be named at this stage, has been arrested for being in possession of illicit cigarettes.

The government has suffered a significant defeat in the High Court. But what does an invalid lockdown mean for SA, and indeed, our tobacco ban?

We doubt you’ll see more cigarettes than this in one place ever again. A pair of smugglers were forced to ditch hundreds of cartons by an arresting officer.

Of the 2 000 respondents cited by Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, 67% had nothing to say about a ban on cigarettes.

A cloud of smoke hangs over Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, whose stance on cigarettes could really cost her much more in the long run.

Bheki Cele won’t back down on this one. The police minister says people caught in possession of cigarettes must show a receipt, or face legal consequences.

The Co-operative Governance Minister has come under fire over the continued ban on tobacco sales

John Steenhuisen said it appears that Dlamini-Zuma lied to citizens regarding the continued ban on the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products.

The Police Minister said that providing proof purchase would assist police. He added that there is nothing wrong with smoking at home.

John Steenhuisen has called the Level 3 lockdown regulations bizarre for permitting religious gatherings and prohibiting cigarettes.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has finally revealed the logic behind the extended ban on cigarettes. But her reasoning has already been questioned.

Here’s the timeline of Fita’s legal challenge to have the tobacco ban overturned.

Fita demands evidence of the National Coronavirus Command Council’s infamous Level 4 U-turn.

Bheki Cele claimed last week that people would have to provide ‘proof of purchase’ for their cigarettes. Legal analysts think very differently.

The Soweto Business Access (SBA) say that the ban is actually hindering social distancing efforts and luring young people into drug use.

Well, the hopes of tobacco-enthusiasts all across South Africa have just gone up in smoke. Level 3 is coming soon, but cigarettes remain off-limits.

The debate over the sale of alcohol and cigarettes is set to intensify as we enter Level 3: Here’s how the laws on purchases change at each lockdown stage.

Just the other day Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s words were being turned into a hit. Looks like Bheki Cele has just become Hurrell’s latest obsession.

The tobacco ban has taken its toll on informal traders who rely heavily on the sale of cigarettes for income.

Things are going from bad to worse for smokers, who will now need to prove they purchased their cigarettes legally if caught smoking.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has allegedly suggested banning the sale of booze and smokes until lockdown Level 1. The reaction has been seismic.

A Facebook group called ‘Protest March Against the Tobacco Ban’ is giving the government until Tuesday to lift the cigarette ban.

It’s looking as though smokers could continue paying exorbitant prices for cigarettes up until 2021.

Will Dlamini-Zuma play the villain again? Critics have reacted angrily after it was rumoured the minister wants to ban alcohol and smokes ‘until Level 1’.

Be warned; the black market is built on conning desperate people out of their hard-earned money

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has claimed that she doesn’t have proof of support for the cigarette ban ‘readily available’ – lighting a fuse amongst her critics.

Health Department Ministerial Advisory Council member Dr Glenda Gray said there will come a time when the lockdown will become negligible.

SAPS arrested seven men in connection with smuggling of counterfeit cigarettes and weaves from Mozambique on Friday night.

A research study conducted by UCT produced fascinating insights into the weird and wonderful ways the cigarette ban has affected smokers.

Another big bust removes millions of cigarettes from the street.

Max Hurrell recently produced ‘When people Zol’ based off Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s speech. She now wants to talk with him.

With stringent laws prohibiting travel, smugglers and dealers are needing to find creative ways to do the dirty work.

Should any dodgy cigarette deals get traced back to one of your WhatsApp chats, it’s possible that the group’s admin could be charged.

The fight will continue, albeit at a slower pace.

The HSRC have found that only 12% of smokers were able to get their hands on cigarettes during the lockdown.

Bad behaviour from these boys in blue. The officers from Kimberley will now be taken to court, after their plan to score cigarettes backfired.

With police cracking down on rule-breakers during the nationwide lockdown, a R750 000 cigarette stash has been confiscated.

British American Tobacco South Africa (Batsa) decided not to take legal action against government over the cigarette ban. Here’s why.

Need a tobacco fix? It won’t be easy for those craving the return of cigarettes – but there are alternatives which may help you through the smoking ban.

Cigarette lobbyists Fita have requested that they become privy to the minutes of the meeting in which the lifting of the ban was reversed.

eNCA anchors have issued a public apology after singling Cogta minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma out regarding the national cigarette ban.

Cyril Ramaphosa isn’t making any friends with his recently revised stance on the cigarette ban – but is he ‘bending the knee’ for Dlamini-Zuma?

The WHO has applauded South Africa for sticking to its guns and maintaining the ban on cigarettes despite widespread outrage.

There will be three separate legal cases in May, which will aim to have the smoking ban reversed. So when might we see our cigarettes again?

These SAPS officials have emerged from this incident with their heads held high, after cigarette smugglers tried to bribe them into silence.

Cigarettes remains one of the most contentious issues of Level 4. But Jackson Mthembu may have stubbed out any hopes of a return to sale.

A firm within Johann Rupert’s investment portfolio is gearing up to fight Dlamini-Zuma and other NCC members in court, regarding the cigarette ban.

Kim Nicola Stephens has been making waves on Facebook with her lockdown chronicles. Kim has permitted us to post the piece. Enjoy!

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has suggested that there are divided opinions on what decisions would best assist South Africans during the lockdown.

Recent policy has changed the mood around government measures to stem the spread of COVID-19, and now we face millions of job losses.

Unhappy with her u-turn on lockdown Level 4 rules, critics of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma have pointed to her alleged links with illegal cigarettes.

Having said that the sale of cigarettes would be permitted in Level 4, government have decided to maintain the ban.

Illegal cigarettes worth hundreds of thousands were found in the cargo area of the King Shaka International Airport on Sunday.

After a long month missing some of our necessary (and naughty) luxuries, the level four lockdown regulations will afford us certain freedoms.

Government is losing, according to Fita estimates, in the region of R1.5 billion a month on excise alone with the cigarette ban in place.

Metro Police in the Western Cape have arrested a man who was caught transporting an enormous haul of counterfeit cigarettes.

Looks like smokers in the Western Cape have won the postcode lottery. It’s been confirmed that the ban on cigarette sales here has been lifted.

The lockdown has been rough on all of us, including the smokers of South Africa. However, cigarettes are back on the shelves in this part of SA.

Cigarettes are officially going the same way as jogging, dog-walking and boozing in South Africa – they will be banned during the lockdown.

An open dialogue with event attendants transpired throughout the evening.

The KwaZulu-Natal students are angry at the poor administration of the school but the fact that they are demanding smoke breaks has derailed the protest.

The controversial proposals are open to public comment for just a few more days – but smoking in South Africa could soon become a criminal activity.

A key answer to reducing plastic pollution, brought to you by the world’s first eco cigarette.

Bad news coming from the budget speech on Wednesday afternoon: Sin tax is increasing, meaning booze and cigs will be more expensive.

Malema’s wife and children live in a home owned by Mazzotti.

Some vendors fear that this newly proposed law will put them out of business for sure…

Explosives and cigarettes seized valued at over a million rand.

A war on smoking… Or, a war on smokers?

Beleive it or not, smoking in South Africa is not as big as it once was. According to the experts, though, tobacco companies are putting all their eggs into developing markets.

Smokers are about to get burned by these new proposals…

A company in Japan is giving non-smokers some extra time off to compensate for the amount of time smokers puff away.