Minister Bheki Cele has had quite the response this evening after he commented that people in public must present a receipt for their cigarettes.
It’s not completely clear why a Minister would request a receipt for cigarettes, however, the Democratic Alliance has responded saying it’s a “laughable announcement”
Minister Bheki Cele said the following –
“It is not illegal to smoke cigarettes in your house. The only problem is when you fail to show us when and where you got the cigarettes. Buying cigarettes and the sale is illegal. Until those regulations are removed it will remain an offense to do such.”
There is currently no law or regulation that is active in South Africa to permit citizens to present police with proof of purchase receipts for cigarettes.
Throughout the lockdown period in South Africa, it has been back and forward with regulations causing further confusion to everyone.
The DA confirms this by saying “These latest comments join a long list of irrational and petty Ministerial edicts which confuse public and among the police officers deployed to enforce the regulations.”
The DA has requested that the Minister addresses the public again and apologize for the comments made earlier today.
