Covid-19: Malema warns government against risk of reopening schools
- The Economic Freedom Fighters has weighed in amid concerns over the reopening of schools
- While the nation battles with the second wave of Covid-19 infections, many are worried about little ones returning
- The Red Berets have urged the government to delay the reopening of schools
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Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has called on the government to delay the reopening of schools.
Source: Getty Images
Malema has warned against risking the lives of South African children amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking during the party's first media briefing for the year, Malema highlighted the EFF's concerns:
"As the EFF, we oppose the gambling of the lives of children, to a virus that all of humanity is yet to properly understand. It will be extremely painful when families start losing their children because as leaders we failed to respect the situation we find ourselves in and preserve the future of our nation."
In addition to the postponement of reopening schools later this month, Malema called for the local government elections to 2024:
"We reiterate our call for the consolidation of the electoral system in South Africa, to one set of elections where Local and National Government Elections are conducted at once. It becomes more important during this pandemic, where we find ourselves unable to objectively conduct free and fair elections.
Malema acknowledged that the virus has made everyone's lives 'unpredictable' which, in his opinion, has undermined every party's ability to engage with voters:
"We, therefore, call for all elections, by-elections and Local Government Elections to be postponed up until 2024, as elections can be regarded as a super spreader event."
The EFF leader spoke out against the closure of borders, dubbing it a waster of time, going as far as slamming it as a way to please white citizens and Europeans by keeping international flights active.
Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that Malema has weighed in on the Covid-19 vaccination as the nation prepares to kick off inoculation drives
The Economic Freedom Fighters leader expressed his disdain at those spreading conspiracy theories over the vaccine:
“Vaccinations have played an important role in eradicating viruses in the history of humanity. Polio and malaria [sic] have cause havoc in societies and it was through vaccines that human lives have been spared from death. Vaccines are a necessary and inevitable intervention in defeating Covid-19."
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Source: Briefly News
