‘No lockdown nonsense’ will stop EFF march demanding Sputnik, Sinovac vaccines

The EFF has called for a massive march on Friday 25 June to the South African Health Product Regulatory Authority’s (SAHPRA’s) head office demanding approval of the Russian Sputnik V and Chinese Sinovac vaccines.

This is just two days after EFF leader Julius Malema called for the rejection of the level three lockdown regulations set out by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The party released a statement on Friday demanding a speedy vaccine provision to all the people of South Africa.

It said that it wants SAHPRA to fast track the approval of the Sputnik V and Sinovac vaccines in seven days.

“SAHPRA is still refusing and actively frustrating the usage of Sputnik V and Sinovac in South Africa, while allowing the use of dangerous and poisonous vaccines from the west,” reads the party’s statement.

It said this was because SAHPRA was micromanaged by Western pharmaceutical companies.

The CEO of SAHPRA has allowed businesspeople and politicians to use her. They are pocketing at the expense of our people. We are coming for her peacefully next week Friday. If she doesn’t respond positively, we will sleep outside her house until they approve this medicine,” Malema told throngs of supporters on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Malema to SAHPRA: Approve Russian and Chinese vaccines or else

“The EFF calls on all South Africans, inclusive of all political parties and non-profit organisations, faith based organisations, civil society, owners of small and medium enterprises, workers in creative industry and unions to join the protest action to demand the speedy prevision of vaccines to all the people,” reads the party’s statement.

EFF Calls On All South Africans To Join The March To Demand Vaccines. pic.twitter.com/GgDN84mMp8

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 18, 2021

This comes two days after Malema said the party would not listen to what Ramaphosa had to say, nor adhere to the lockdown restrictions that were imposed under lockdown Level 3.

On Tuesday, Ramaphosa announced new restrictions that would be imposed as the country moved to Level 3, which includes limiting the number of people who attend indoor and outdoor gatherings.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa’s ‘lockdown nonsense regulations won’t stop us’ – Malema

“No one is going to stop us. No lockdown nonsense regulations are going to stop us,” Malema told the crowd outside Uitsig High School in Centurion on Wednesday.

He said they would no longer listen to anything Ramaphosa had to say about the virus or comply with any of the government’s lockdown regulations “until he gives us vaccines”.