The government defended the ban, saying it intends to curb the spread of the virus. 

BATSA insists the ban is unconstitutional.

The lawsuit is the second such case to be brought against the government.

The company and nine others told a full bench of the Western Cape High Court that the harm caused by the ban far outweighs the benefits to the public health system. 

Counsel for British American Tobacco, Alfred Cockrell said, “the rights to make those decisions include the right to make a decision that may be a wrong one, even if it is harmful to you.”

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