Julius Malema called on his supporters to ignore the provisions of COVID-19 at this week’s planned march, which bans large gatherings such as marches, while Gauteng is crippled by a third wave of coronavirus infections and hospitals are fighting to save lives.
This Friday, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are determined to march to the offices of the South African Health Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) to ask them to approve vaccines from Russia and China.
Malema announced the march to celebrate his party on June 16th at Centurion, saying it would help the country vaccinate more people faster.
He also called on his supporters to ignore the provisions of COVID-19, which prohibit large gatherings such as marches, while Gauteng is crippled by a third wave of coronavirus infections and hospitals are fighting to save lives.
Many condemned the planned march, and police said law enforcement officials would be sent to march to ensure compliance with disaster management rules.
Does this mean that there may be arrests?
Colonel Brenda Muridili, a police spokesman, explained to John Perlman.
There is no longer a legal or illegal march. People no longer have to apply for permission to march, so anyone who thinks they should exercise their right to protest is welcome to do so. The current regulations say that the gatherings – what this march will be like – must be 100 people and these 100 people must adhere to the established protocol, so that the police will be on site … they will control the march and also ensure that there is compliance …
Colonel Brenda Muridili, police spokesman
Asked what would happen if the meeting exceeded 100 people, Muridili said
The police are ready for anything that will happen in the end … The police will be there at any time and will monitor the participants … any time they see that the rules are not being followed, then the police will be able to talk to getting used to making people stick …
Colonel Brenda Muridili, police spokesman
Listen to the full interview below …
EFF insists on march to persuade Safra to accept vaccines …
We are in the process since Ramaphosa sent his address to Sona and we have issued these warnings that if he does not do the right thing … that all vaccines approved by the World Health Organization must be obtained from this government, they must be prepared and our health facilities also need to be ready for the third wave and at a time when the virus was at its lowest level and the cases were not as many as they are now, then we hoped they were doing the right thing.
Veronica Mente, National President of EFF
We as EFF were the ones who called on people to stay at home … we were the ones who trusted his [Ramaphosa] plan … but now we understand that this is not happening – schools are not closing. Our children are sent to schools with teachers who have not been vaccinated, and these teachers and students return to their families, the same families who go to work every day … and we realized that if we sit and do not follow our warning, we will do the right thing. , we will have problems, now we have to start demanding the vaccine for humans.
Veronica Mente, National President of EFF
Listen to the full interview below …