South Africa’s nearly five-month tobacco sales ban, implemented on March 26, 2020, to curb Covid-19 risks, triggered a surge in cigarette smuggling from Zimbabwe, particularly through the porous Beitbridge-Musina border crossing.
Despite a R37 million ($2.1 million) fence erected in April 2020 and intensified patrols by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and South African National Defence Force (SANDF), smugglers continue to exploit over 200 illegal entry points, undermining efforts to control the illicit trade.
The Smuggling Boom
The tobacco ban, justified by claims that smoking exacerbates Covid-19 risks, drove 90% of South African smokers to purchase cigarettes illicitly, according to a University of Cape Town study.
Zimbabwe, a major tobacco producer, became the primary source, with brands like Remington Gold and Pacific Blue flooding the black market.
Smugglers capitalized on the price disparity: a box of 50 cartons bought for 5,000 rand in Zimbabwe sold for 11,000 rand in South Africa during the ban, per smuggler accounts.
Even after the ban lifted on August 18, 2020, the illegal trade persists, with British American Tobacco estimating South Africa’s illicit cigarette market as the world’s largest, costing R8 billion in lost taxes in 2019 alone.
At Mbare market in Harare, smugglers load cigarettes onto trucks carrying legal goods, while others risk crocodile-infested Limpopo River crossings, guided by villagers.
“I cannot miss this opportunity to make more money,” said Peter, a 38-year-old Beitbridge smuggler, noting high demand for Zimbabwean cigarettes due to their quality and nicotine content. Prices for a 20-cigarette pack averaged $1.60 in Zimbabwe but fetched triple in South Africa.
Ineffective Border Measures
The Beitbridge border, 500 km north of Johannesburg, is a smuggling hotspot despite its closure to non-essential traffic since March 18, 2020. South Africa’s 40-km, 1.8-meter-high fence, built to deter Covid-19-related crossings, was quickly breached, with smugglers cutting holes and dismissing it as a “joke.”
SAPS and SANDF patrols, including Operation Corona, have seized significant hauls—R1.5 million in cigarettes in May 2020 and R3 million in July 2021—but struggle to cover the vast border. Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo of SAPS Limpopo confirmed arrests but noted the challenge of over 200 crossing points.
Zimbabwean police, led by spokesperson Paul Nyathi, are investigating syndicates, with 62 arrests and 6,869 cartons seized in 2014 alone, but corruption among border officials hampers efforts. Large-scale smugglers, allegedly involving high-level politicians, use trucks to bypass checks, while small-scale “runners” carry cigarettes across the Limpopo River at night, bribing soldiers.
Economic and Social Impacts
The illicit trade, costing South Africa over R40 billion in taxes since 2010, threatens the legal tobacco industry, per the Tobacco Institute of Southern Africa. Smugglers exploit Zimbabwe’s weak currency and South Africa’s high excise taxes (R16.66 per 20-pack plus VAT), making illegal cigarettes, sold as low as R10 per pack, highly profitable.
The Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita) challenged the ban’s medical basis, citing insufficient evidence linking smoking to Covid-19 severity, a claim backed by court rulings in December 2020.
Smuggling networks, including “goma gomas,” also traffic drugs, explosives, and people, with villages like Ha Tshirundu serving as hubs. These activities fuel organized crime and, historically, piracy, as noted in Somalia’s case.
Ongoing Challenges
Despite the ban’s end, the entrenched smuggling networks, facilitated by WhatsApp marketing and lax enforcement, continue to thrive.
A 2023 Hawks operation seized R30 million in cigarettes near Beitbridge, highlighting the scale of organized syndicates. South Africa’s porous borders, exacerbated by Zimbabwe’s economic woes, demand a political and military response, but resource constraints and corruption remain barriers.
