In March, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the ban on the selling of cigarettes would be lifted in keeping with the relaxation of the lockdown.

Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma overruled the president and reinstated the ban on the sale and buying of cigarettes. As a consequence, the British Tobacco Company South Africa, one of Johann Rupert's companies, is taking Dlamini-Zuma to court unless she rescinds the decision to ban the selling of cigarettes by today.

Four or five other cabinet ministers were also cited in the court papers.

Many people know that Ramaphosa included the selling and buying of cigarettes on the list because he is beholden to Johann Rupert. The same way some people are aware of Mike Stainbank's battle with the judiciary which he says is captured by white supremacists.

This means the chances of the British Tobacco Company South Africa winning the case are very high. Besides Rupert being monied, the flip-flop on the sale and buying of cigarettes and the overruling of Ramaphosa by Dlamini- Zuma, coupled with the fact that the structure that's in charge of the lockdown is unconstitutional, doesn't paint a bright picture for Dlamini-Zuma's chances of winning against Rupert.

If she loses this case, who's going to bear the costs against this billionaire, considering she overruled the president? Smoking and alcohol are not illegal in SA.

I am not rooting for Rupert and the British Tobacco South Africa, I won't do that. It's just that this lockdown is Draconian and unconstitutional.

Rupert has these ANC leaders on a leash like poodles and they know it. ANC leaders sold SA for 30 pieces of silver in the early 1990s and Rupert was there to facilitate the transaction.

Sam Ditshego

Kagiso