The DA has lambasted Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel over his ‘Soviet era’ list of directions on winter clothing, footwear and bedding during the coronavirus alert Level 4.
Patel on Tuesday published what many considers a ‘bizarre’ list of directions for winter clothing, footwear and home textiles which includes all baby and toddler clothing and footwear, children’s wear, adult underwear, a range of adult footwear categories, boots and bedding categories, including baby bedding, duvets and electric blankets.
Dean Macpherson, DA’s Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry, said the DA was stunned by the bizarre and extraordinary clothing list that has been gazetted by Patel, which seems to have been plucked from ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
MacPherson called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove him from government with immediate effect.
“There is no rationale for a clothing list. It is now beyond doubt that Minister Patel is running amok without any restraint from President Ramaphosa,” said MacPherson.
“These new clothing regulations are frankly mad and seem more at place during the 1980’s under the Soviet Union than they do in a democracy like South Africa. “
MacPherson added: “According to the regulations, you can buy shirts so long as they are promoted “to be worn under jacket coats and/or knitwear” which is ridiculous and insulting to South Africans’ intelligence. You may only buy crop bottom pants so long as they worn with boots and leggings which is just ridiculous. And finally, you can only buy “closed toe” shoes which is just laughable.”
He said Patel has become the laughing stock of South Africa with these clothing regulations.
“These regulations are nothing other than the continued paternal obsession by Minister Patel and the ANC to dictate to South Africans what they can and cannot do. It is reminiscent of how people were forced to live during the existence of East Germany. It may be acceptable in a communist state but not in a free country like ours,” said MacPherson.
MacPherson said Patel has been allowed to pick winners and losers in the economy, to determine what is “fair” and now has gone to the extreme to determine what clothes people can buy and how they should wear them.”
Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomes the list of winter and children’s clothing and home textiles issued by Government yesterday, as it expands the range of products that working families can buy very significantly.
Cosatu’s general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said the federation condemns the hysterical and childish criticism of the Democratic Alliance, who never misses an opportunity to grandstand and play to the gallery.
“They simply want to ignore the pandemic and want all the comforts that they have always had,” said Ntshalintshali in a statement.
“The facts are simple: the regulations issued by Government are meant to limit the movement of people during Level 4. It contained a list of products that are available by retailers under Level 4 lockdown. This included winter-clothes and children’s clothes.”
(Compiled by Inside Politics staff)
