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25 signatures reached
To: Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen, South African Department of Agriculture,
Team Steenhuisen, do your homework on Sugary Drinks Tax!
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Members of Parliament, Ministers, and Deputy Ministers should put people first, not profit. That is why it is deeply concerning that MP Mat Cuthbert has sided with greedy big businesses by calling for the scrapping of the Sugary Drinks Tax (Health Promotion Levy) [1].
Minister Steenhuisen, if MP Mat Cuthbert had actually done his research instead of parroting false claims made by big sugar businesses, he would know that academics have debunked claims made by greedy big sugar businesses.
- Multiple peer-reviewed studies provide undeniable evidence that the Health Promotion Levy has reduced sugary drink consumption in South Africa [2].
- Academics have debunked the claim that the Health Promotion Levy caused job losses [3].
We are concerned that other members of your team may have failed to do their homework. It is critical Deputy Finance Minister Sarupen, Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Whitfield and all other members of your team act in the public interest and are guided by evidence.
Why is this important?
We know big sugar businesses have a history of misinformation to try to protect their profits [4]. Just like tobacco, sugary drinks are a major threat to our health and are contributing to the Non-Communicable Disease crises we are facing. We cannot allow greedy big businesses to bully government and capture politicians to protect their profits.
Big business and its associates continue to use their enormous resources to delay, dilute, and delegitimise decisions that are in the public interest. They have proven time and time again that they are bullies and continuously hold the country hostage with threats of job losses and divesting.
[3] Researchers challenge cane growers’ claims that sugar tax killed jobs. By Tamar Kahn for Business Day. 11 June 2024.
[4] SA’s proposed sugar tax: claims about calories & job losses checked: https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/reports/sas-proposed-sugar-tax-claims-about-calories-job-losses-checked