British American Tobacco South Africa announced in August that the illicit cigarette trade comprised 70% of the total market in South Africa in the past year.

But according to a new study by University of Cape Town's PhD candidate Nicole Vellios, BATSA's estimate is wrong.

The results were published in an article in Econ3x3, the online economic policy publication housed at UCT's Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit.

Nicole Vellios spoke with Radio Islam International to discuss her research findings.