Five members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have been released on R5000 bail while two undocumented Zimbabwean nationals were remanded in custody for possession of illicit cigarettes, ammunition and defeating the ends of justice.
The SANDF members appeared briefly at the Musina Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. It is alleged that on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, at Artonvilla base (known as Sediba Sa Tlou), the SANDF members intercepted a group of smugglers in possession of 24 master boxes of Remington Gold cigarettes worth an estimated R300 000. The accused allegedly declared only 18 boxes to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs, while the remaining six boxes were hidden in their rooms at the base.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said police were alerted to the discrepancy and, upon searching the premises, found six master boxes of Remington Gold cigarettes concealed under the SANDF members’ beds.
“Two civilians were also discovered hiding at the base. The accused were immediately arrested. The case was postponed to 14 November 2025 for further investigation. The two Zimbabwean nationals will remain in custody until their next court appearance,” she said.
CIGARETTE SMUGGLING IS RIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA
According to a study conducted by the Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP) at the University of Cape Town (UCT), in South Africa, the illicit cigarette trade is primarily driven by tax evasion by companies that intentionally flout the law.
Many companies manufacturing cigarettes reportedly under-declare their production, enabling them to sell their cigarettes at prices far below the tax-inclusive minimum.
The authors trace the rise of the illicit cigarette market to the early 2010s, when smaller tobacco companies, attracted by the large profits earned by British American Tobacco, began selling cigarettes at prices so low that excise taxes could not plausibly have been paid in full.
The study revealed that illicit cigarette trade was compounded by the weakening of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) during the years of state capture, when enforcement units were dismantled.
“The COVID-19 sales ban in 2020 worsened the problem. Surveys conducted by REEP during the ban found that most smokers did not quit. Instead, they purchased cigarettes through informal channels. The ban destroyed brand loyalties, as people were willing to buy whatever was available. When the sales ban was lifted, many consumers stayed with their new brands, most of which are illicit.”
