The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) has called for urgent intervention in halting what it calls deindustrialisation, factory closures and the wholesaling of the country’s economy.

The trade union federation has criticised plans by British American Tobacco to shut down its local manufacturing plant at the end of the year.

The company cited criminal syndicates dominating the industry as the main reason, with illicit cigarettes now accounting for 75% of the market.

SAFTU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says they’ve also taken issue with the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill that is currently up for consideration in Parliament.

“Parliament must not pass, we repeat, the tobacco control bill in its current form. The process must be halted immediately. In its present form, this bill will weaken legal producers, will strengthen illicit and criminal operators, will accelerate factory closures and will finish off the thousands of remaining manufacturing jobs. You cannot regulate compliant companies out of existence while criminals operate freely.”

–SABC–