Airport Advertising
AIRPORT ADVERTISING (PTY) LTD

TRANSCRIPT OF AN ADDRESS TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH (NATIONAL ASSEMBLY) ON TUESDAY 20 OCTOBER 1998 ON THE TOBACCO PRODUCTS AMENDMENT BILL.

PRESENTED BY COLIN MARAIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR: AIRPORT ADVERTISING (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED.

1. Airport Advertising is a wholly owned subsidiary of Corpcom Limited; a JSE listed company with a market capitalisation in excess of one Billion Rand. We are the industry leaders in Airport advertising with market share in excess of 95% in the nine Airports owned by the Airports Company South Africa.

2. Tobacco advertising generates approximately 12% of our Company's turnover and the proposed ban on tobacco advertising would have a negative impact on our financial results. It would also have a negative effect on our suppliers and Sub contractors, as they would lose work as a result of this ban. In the face of their elected Government's stated policy of prioritising job creation and self-employment it is a probability that some of them would cease to operate at all.

3. Many different interest groups may have different objections to the sale of different products. The responsible approach to advertising, should surely, be that if the product is legal it should have the right to advertise, in a responsible and controlled manner, Tobacco advertising currently provides the Government the free opportunity to advertise the ill effects of smoking and it would cost the Government approximately R 30 Million per annum to replace this opportunity.

4. We recognise the need for clean air in the public domain and believe in a healthy society. However at the same time we recognise the individual's right enshrined in the Constitution to smoke in the appropriate place.

5. The Minister's concern for the well being of the "vulnerable" is also shared by our Company, We believe that educating the "vulnerable" to the harmful effects of tobacco smoking and the restriction of the availability of tobacco products to the "vulnerable" would be more beneficial than the banning of ifs advertisement.

6. Government is seeking to generate larger foreign earnings and is seeking ways to encourage tourism to South Africa, Our country has the opportunity for tourism to flourish and we cannot afford to offend our international visitors who smoke. The provisions of the proposed bill will render international visitors liable to huge fines for smoking in public places and will not allow them to wear certain branded fashion goods whilst in our country.

We appeal to Government to provide some stimulus to our beleaguered economy through an inspired and responsible approach to this issue, instead of the total ban of Tobacco advertising.

Thank you for and on behalf of the Board of Directors Airport Advertising (Propriety) Limited

CB Marries
Managing Director