'We are ready for whatever': Police to be deployed to EFF Sahpra march

Julius Malema called on supporters to disregard COVID-19 regulations at this week's planned march, which prohibit large gatherings such as marches, all while Gauteng is being crippled with the third wave of coronavirus infections, with hospitals battling to save lives.

This Friday, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are determined to march to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) offices to demand that they approve vaccines from Russia and China.

Malema announced the march at his party's June 16 commemoration in Centurion, saying this will assist the country to vaccinate more people faster.

He also called on supporters to disregard COVID-19 regulations, which prohibit large gatherings such as marches, all while Gauteng is being crippled with the third wave of coronavirus infections, with hospitals battling to save lives.

Many condemned the planned march and police say law enforcement officials will be deployed to the march to ensure disaster management regulations were complied with.

Does this mean there may be arrests?

Colonel Brenda Muridili, police spokesperson explains to John Perlman.

There is no longer a legal or illegal march. People no longer need to apply for a permit to march, so, anyone who feels they need to exercise their right to protest, they are most welcome to do so. Current regulations say that gatherings - which this march will be - there have to be 100 people and those 100 people must adhere to the protocol put in place, so the police will be on site... they will be policing the march and also ensuring that there is compliance to the regulations...

Colonel Brenda Muridili, police spokesperson

When asked what would happen should the gathering exceed 100 people, Muridili says

Police are ready for whatever will eventually be taking place... Police will be there at every point watching over the marchers... at any given time when they see that regulations are not being adhered to, then the police will be able to talk to the conveners to get the people to adhere...

Colonel Brenda Muridili, police spokesperson

Listen to the full interview below...

The EFF insists on marching to convince Saphra to adopt the vaccines...

We have been in the process from the time when Ramaphosa delivered his Sona address and we've issued these warnings that should he not do the right thing... that all the vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation should be procured by this government, should be made ready and our health facilities should also be ready for the third wave and at the time when the virus was at its lowest and the cases were not as many as they are now, that's when we were hoping they were doing the right thing.

Veronica Mente, EFF National Chairperson

We as the EFF were the ones that called for people to stay at home... we were the ones that trusted his [Ramaphosa] plan... but we realised now that it's not happening - schools are not being closed. Our children are being sent to schools to teachers that are not vaccinated and those teachers and students go back to the families, the very same families that go to work on a daily basis... and we realised that if we sit back and not act on our warning to do the right thing, we are going to be in trouble, we must now start demanding the vaccine for the people.

Veronica Mente, EFF National Chairperson

Listen to the full interview below...

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