The lockdown has made it even more profitable to trade in illegal tobacco products. Supply and demand have allowed purveyors of these perilous puffs to charge premium prices, well beyond what a legal pack of 20s would cost, if you could buy one.
At the same time, government could by now have lost up to R4.5 billion in revenue as a result of the tobacco ban, even as it has announced it will have to borrow from the IMF, the World Bank and the New Bank to fund our COVID expenses and keep the economy afloat.
Pauw said the criminal tobacco networks are flourishing because they haven’t been brought to book, and not just during lockdown. You can watch the full webinar discussion here:
PSG invites you to keep Thinking Big
PSG is bringing more thought-provoking conversations to the table in the Think Big webinar series. The conversations aim to look beyond the moment, to solve for solutions, and plan for possibilities.
“Looking beyond the moment requires access to independent thinking and expert insights, says Tracy Hirst, PSG’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We have created the platform to share these insights as widely as possible with everyone.”
The host of the series is Bruce Whitfield, whose award-winning style of journalism allows him to generate fascinating discussions. “It’s not every day you get one-on-one time with some of the most remarkable people in their fields and get to learn more about them, what they do and why they do it. I feel so privileged to be tapping into some of the country’s sharpest minds and look forward to sharing those conversations with you,” he says.
Join PSG for the remainder of the series on a variety of different topics that are close to our hearts, from the future of travel to rugby and all the politics in between.
The Future of Aviation in SA:
Guy and Bruce debate SAA as a carrier and take a look at where air travel might be going and what needs to be fixed to get it there.
Speakers: Guy Leitch, Editor SA flyer and Bertus Visser, Head: PSG Distribution Insure
The Future of Rugby:
Always a favourite with the public, ex-Springbok coach Nick Mallett features in the third webinar, discussing the future of rugby in a post-COVID 19 world.
Speakers: Nick Mallett, Ex-Springbok coach and Adriaan Pask, Chief Investment Officer, PSG Wealth
Date & Time: Tuesday 21 July 09h00 – 10h00
The Future of South African Politics:
Herman Mashaba discusses his time as Mayor of Johannesburg and why he decided to step down, as well as his newly-released book The Accidental Mayor and his new political party, The People’s Dialogue.
Speakers: Herman Mashaba, South African entrepreneur, politician and the former Mayor of Johannesburg and Dan Hugo, Chief Executive: PSG Distribution
Date & Time: Tuesday 28 July 09h00 – 10h00
The Future of Education in SA:
Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, talks about the role of leadership in mitigating inequalities in higher education.
Speakers: Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand and Anet Ahern, Chief Executive Officer, PSG Asset Management
Date & Time: Tuesday 4 August 09h00 – 10h00
PSG is currently confirming the next speakers in the series – and invites everyone to check in at the series page and view the latest additions as they are announced. With August being Women’s Month there is a particular focus on leading females in their fields.
“Our aim is to empower viewers to formulate their own opinions and manage their expectations on how various aspects of the current situation in South Africa could unfold. By providing thought leadership our Think Big series will help viewers to see the bigger picture in crucial areas of concern,” Hirst says.
Affiliates of the PSG Konsult Group are authorised financial services providers. BM
