A full bench of judges of the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday reserved judgment in the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita)’s application for leave to appeal against a decision on the ban on the sale of tobacco products.
The verdict will be delivered tentatively next week.
Fita believes that another court may come to a different conclusion regarding the ban.
A full bench of judges had earlier ruled that dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, does have valid reasons for the ban during the restriction.
The judges, led by Gauteng Judge-President Judge Dunstan Mlambo, ruled that Fita did not take into account the context in which the regulations were enacted.
Fita disputes this finding and submits to the Court of Appeal a different conclusion.
A full report will follow later.