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Cape Town man stabbed to death for refusing to sell cigarettes

Arrest
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Police have arrested a suspect in Belhar in Cape Town following an attack over cigarettes at a shop at Malmesbury in the Swartland. Police say a 27-year-old man was stabbed to death and another injured when shop owners allegedly refused to sell cigarettes to the customer.

Police are investigating a case of murder and attempted murder and the attacker is expected to appear in court once charged.

Sale of cigarettes is banned during the  lockdown.

Police Minister Bheki Cele says that no shop will be allowed to sell cigarettes during the lockdown as they are non-essentials. He was responding to the Western Cape government’s decision to lift the ban on the sale of cigarettes, emphasising that they may only be sold together with essential goods.

“This thing of people wanting to buy cigarettes ‘ayikho’, there’s no cigarettes sales here. I’m told that in one province, they wanted to do that. We spoke to the Premier to say should we find that your shops are selling cigarettes; we shut down your shop. Nothing essential about cigarettes; this disease attacks your lungs so don’t add extra pressure on your lungs by smoking.”

He elaborates in the video below.

 

Confusion around the banning of cigarettes in the Western Cape

 

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