From law-biding citizen to cigarette ‘butt’-legger

In the aftermath of the global pandemic there will be countless documentaries and exposés around the causes, responses and subsequent destruction.

Each nation has reacted differently and it has now become a source of pride or scorn as to which society is winning the coronavirus world cup. South Africans enjoy winning and we have been able to boast the longest lockdown for several weeks, but the ever-competitive Australians, the state of Victoria to be exact, are staking a late claim with a brand-new hard lockdown to fight the dreaded ‘second wave’.

Unique to South Africa, of course, is the ban on alcohol and tobacco. Once the daily escapes from work or prime supplements of a good party, the socially acceptable drugs have made pushers and peddlers out of law-abiding men and woman.

Dave, whose true identity is being protected, worked a regular nine-to-five to support his wife and three children. In his early thirties and with no criminal record, he has been willing to risk that in order to put food on the table after lockdown left him unable to work.

“At first I started selling loose but demand became too high. I moved to full cartons very quickly,” said Dave, who was presented with the opportunity to sell cigarettes by a former work colleague.

He said profit was significantly higher for the alcohol salesman but he turned that down as alcohol consumption is against his personal beliefs. His client base swelled exponentially as the initial scramble to stock up kicked into overdrive when the phased-in lockdown was announced.

Dave proved that word of mouth is still the greatest form of marketing, as referrals were his number-one source of new customers. The heydays of the hard lockdown and ‘Level 4′ that followed have passed, and Dave noted a drastic drop in sales in recent weeks.

Government may have inadvertently achieved something, though, as some of Dave’s clients have either attempted to stop smoking or have been forced to cut down due to their own financial constraints. What is important to note is the evolution of his clients’ attitude as the lockdown progressed.

“The first few times I had clients so nervous they were shaking, but now it is too casual. People are just gatvol and they are angry,” claimed Dave.

This mirrors society as a whole as understanding turned to frustration, only to ferment into resentment of a government widely believed to be abusing its position for personal gain. Smokers who have persisted with their habit have a savvy supply network to thank for any fluctuations in price.

“When there is any news that they might drop the ban, the suppliers drop the price and push out the stock. As soon as they hear government say ‘no’, then the suppliers increase it to an even higher price,” laughed Dave.

He confirms an elaborate network of suppliers, some closer to the source and others simply intermediaries that operate with sophisticated efficiency. Trade has not ceased, negating any intended protections against Covid-19, meaning this piece of legislation has backfired spectacularly.

The behaviour of government officials have left many requesting to see them in orange overalls but sadly it is the government that, through its debatable regulations, have made criminals out of good citizens.