ECONOMIC Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has called for government and South African Health Products Regulator Authority to immediately approve the use of Covid-19 vaccines from Russia and China.
Malema was speaking at the EFF march in Pretoria to demand that the regulator speed up its approval of COVID-19 vaccines to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
He said SAHPRA has seven days to adhere to their demands or the party will stage a sit-in outside the house of SAHPRA’s CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, and its chairperson Professor Helen Rees.
SAHPRA said on Thursday it won’t be pressured to allow the public access to any product that has not met the necessary regulatory requirements and been found to be appropriate for us in South Africa.
“Our demands are simple. We want more vaccines available but because the president and his government have eaten our money, our people are dying in their numbers,” said Malema.
“Ramaphosa is vaccinated and does not care about getting the rest of us vaccinated.”
While the EFF claims that the authority is refusing to approve the vaccines, SAHPRA has explained its processes and is currently evaluating the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines from China as well as Russia’s Sputnik V shot.
So far vaccines from Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca Plc have been approved for use in South Africa.
Malema said the EFF was the only hope for South Africans to get vaccinated.
“We want them to answer one question: what is it that is extremely wrong with Sputnik V and Sinovac, which is not found in J&J? We know the relationship of Cyril Ramaphosa and Aspen,” said Malema.
The EFF march has been widely criticized because it comes at the height of a third wave of coronavirus infections in the country.
However, Malema brushed aside super-spreader fears at the ‘March To Save Lives’ in Pretoria.
“This is not a super-spreader event. Pick ‘n Pay is a super-spreader. Shoprite is the super-spreader. The super-spreader is the mines. There is no compliance in the mines. All of us are complying,” said Malema.
“They are telling us that this event is a super spreader, but it’s not true because we are meeting here, outdoor, for a few minutes. From there we are going home.”
He added: “Ramaphosa is using coronavirus for political dictatorship. But in us he has met his match. Lockdown is not a solution. We are struggling with Third Wave already and there is talk of a Fourth Wave. Every wave you say lockdown. Every wave, lockdown. No plan. Fighters, this is a rolling mass action. We are going to engage in this issue until there is enough vaccine and our people are vaccinated.”
- Inside Politics
