It comes as no surprise to the layman that the prices of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes have gone up following Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s Budget Speech this week.
Sin tax is never spared and while people expected to pay more for these items, they still wish they didn’t have to.
The increase in wine, beer and spirits is 11%, 23% and 36%, respectively.
The taxes on fortified wine, like sherry and port, goes up from R5.82 to R6.17 per litre, unfortified wine, like merlot and cabernet sauvignon, goes up from R3.31 to R3.61 per litre and sparkling wine will cost 97c more per litre.
Smokers can expect to pay about R1 extra for a pack of 20 cigarettes.
Jaco Griessel, 33, from Noordhoek, said the increases wouldn’t really impact on his budget for cigarettes and alcohol.
“I don’t think most people mind the increases, and many people will pay R20 a month extra for cigarettes, as an example. If you look at it in the broader spectrum, lots of money is going to be made by the increases,” he said.
Griessel’s friend and business partner, Johan van der Merwe, agreed. He said they didn’t notice a difference in patrons ordering wine either.
Lita Gqirana, 22, said alcohol was a luxury and, while he hated forking out more for spirits, he would continue to do so.
He said cigarettes should be heavily taxed, as a deterrent.
“I usually pay about R90 for a bottle of vodka, and now it’s going to be nearly R100 bucks. That sucks, but I understand why the government is doing it.”
Woodstock pensioner Phillip Davids said he wished people would help feed the poor instead of continuously paying more for booze and smokes.
Davids said he bought two loose cigarettes a day.
“People who buy a lot of alcohol and cigarettes should buy loaves of bread for the hungry,” he said.