Sugar tax to cost SA 60 000 jobs, warns Coca-Cola This, in my opinion, sounds very much like blackmail seeing the claim made by Coca-Cola about sugar having nothing to do with obesity, is based on Coca-Cola funded research that came up with this conclusion and attributed obesity to a lack of exercise. "BevSA executive director Mapule Ncanywa, emphasised that 97% of South Africa’s obesity problems had nothing to do with sugar-sweetened beverages, claiming they accounted for only 3% of daily kilojoule intake." Jobs are an extremely sensitive issue in South Africa right now, but so is the very high level of obesity along with its associated health conditions such as diabetes. And these health conditions are costing our country a fortune too. Coca-Cola's argument is much like saying: "Let's keep people ill so we can keep nurses and doctors employed". Obesity and diabetes are causing far bigger health and financial issues in South Africa. Soda drinks with sugar are not a staple food and are really being viewed as a luxury item with side affects.... much like tobacco or alcohol (which carry regulatory warnings). Coca-Cola says 60,000 jobs could be lost out the of 200,000 employed in SA. But if we consider that obesity in South Africa affects 1 in 3 South Africans (or 61%, or half of people aged 15 years and above depending on what stats you read), that is also "weighed" up against an obesity epidemic that is affecting over 25 million South Africans. Many of those 25 million have had their health so badly affected that they are medically unfit, and are being sustained by healthcare. The real question is, if an industry is starting to be seen as contributing to health issues, do we choose to sustain that industry or do we try to encourage healthier behaviour? Many say that a sugar tax is just a tax and it is a useless gesture.... well certainly not according to Coca-Cola as they have just supported the… http://bit.ly/2bzUoYo
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