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- The EFF has called on all South Africans to join them in a march to the SAHPRA offices.
- The party has accused government of using the vaccine rollout programme to enrich themselves.
- On Wednesday, the party said it would not listen to President Cyril Ramaphosa or adhere to the new Level 3 lockdown regulations.
The EFF wants political parties and civil society formations to come together in a protest against the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) and government, demanding Covid-19 vaccines.
The party wants the government to include Sputnik-V and Sinovac vaccines in its rollout programme.
It has said that it would be left with no option but to engage in mass action against the regulatory authority if it did not finalise the approval and authorisation of Sputnik V and Sinovac within seven days.
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On Wednesday, EFF leader Julius Malema said the party would no longer listen to President Cyril Ramaphosa or obey the newly imposed lockdown regulations. This after the president announced that public gatherings would now be restricted to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
Malema was speaking at an EFF event commemorating Youth Day outside Uitsig High School in Centurion. The event accommodated scores of EFF supporters.
Malema has faced criticism from some on social media for "intentionally" allowing such an event to take place, thereby potentially endangering the lives of those who attend.
READ | SA moves to Level 3 lockdown - here are the new rules
On Friday EFF national spokesperson Vuyani Pambo said it was now evident that the government was dismally failing to provide vaccines to all South Africans, and that this was being allowed by Sahpra which refused to authorise the usage of vaccines from Russia (Sputnik-V) and China (Sinovac).
"Sahpra is squarely at the center of disallowing the usage of Sputnik-V and Sinovac vaccines because they are micromanaged and controlled by the West's pharmaceutical establishment which works with its local collaborators to prevent the authorization of vaccines from China and Russia," Pambo said, adding:
Pambo continued: "Sinovac from China has been approved by the World Health Organisation and used in more than 45 countries all over the world. The People’s Republic of China has thus far administered more than 800 million doses of Sinovac Vaccine and there are no major incidents and health hazards associated with this development.
READ | J&J will deliver 2 million new jabs to SA within 2 weeks, says Aspen
The party accused Sahpra of refusing to allow the use of Sputnik-V and Sinovac vaccines in the country, while allowing what it dubbed "dangerous and poisonous vaccines from the West".
"It is evident now that Sahpra is being used by politicians and major capitalist interests to totally prevent the usage of vaccines from Russia and from China. The evident reason behind this is because Mr Cyril Ramaphosa is a puppet of the West and certainly involved in transactions with local partners of J&J."
The EFF said it would call on all political parties, non-profit organisations, faith-based organisations, civil societies, owners of small and medium enterprises, workers in the creative industry, and unions to join in the protest action to demand the speedy provision of vaccines.
News24 is still awaiting comment from Sahpra and will update the story once it has been received.
