SA sin tax hits Namibians

MANY a consumer’s budget will be going up in smoke after South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan yesterday hiked sin tax on cigarettes by about 16 per cent, and increased the customs and excise duty on beer, wine and spirits by around eight per cent.

No point in whining about it; the fact that Namibia belongs to Southern African Customs Union (Sacu), means that any change in South Africa’s customs and excise duty immediately becomes effective here too.Wholesalers were still calculating the exact impact locally late yesterday afternoon.In South Africa, a packet of 20 cigarettes is R1,24 more expensive today. A bottle of beer (340 ml) costs 6,5 cents more, while a bottle of wine (750 ml) is 12 cents more.Those who drink hard liquor will be milked though. A bottle of spirits will set you back about R2,22 more across the border this morning.Locally, shelf prices should be adjusted by lunchtime today.