The Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA), an NGO, has called on the South African Finance Minister, Tito Mboweni, to double the country’s health promotion levy.
South Africa introduced the health promotion levy – commonly known as the sugar tax – in 2018. It currently adds about 11 percent to the cost of sugary beverages to help curb the country’s sugar consumption, which health experts say is fuelling a rise in non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
The levy does not apply to natural fruit juices or sweetened dairy products.