On Friday, the EFF will look forward to sending a stern warning to the South African Health Products Regulatory Association (SAHPRA).
Watch live: EFF rally outside SAHPRA offices
The rally has officially kicked off and you can watch the live feed from the streets of Pretoria right here:
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 25, 2021
Why is the EFF protesting at SAHPRA?
Earlier this week, commander-in-chief of the Red Berets, Julius Malema, appeared on Newzroom Afrika where he confirmed that South Africans were not prepared to endure another harsh lockdown, amid rumblings of a level 5 alert escalation.
The EFF leader made it clear that Friday’s picket at the SAHPRA offices was an attempt to make a resounding call for the approval of vaccine candidates produced by China and Russia, namely Sinovac and Sputnik V.
“From the handling of this vaccine program, it has been one mess after the other – and it is very clear that there is no program by government to vaccinate our people. We are not going to sit back and allow Cyril to gamble with the lives of our people. We are going to the streets and we will be there for some few hours,” he warned.
SAHPRA has remained resolute in its position that only science will sway its processes, not politics. The regulatory body confirmed that it’s received applications for CoronoVac (manufactured by Sinovac) and Sputnik V, and reviews were underway to determine the safety of the doses.
“The evaluation of the CoronoVac application is at a very advanced stage. Reports recently made available by the World Health Organization (WHO) that articulate the basis for the emergency use listing for CoronaVac are being considered,” SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo SemeteMakokotlela said.
At this juncture, only AstraZeneca (we remember that blunder), Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer have been approved for use in South Africa.
Pretoria road closures for Friday 25 June 2021
On Friday, traffic is expected to face heavy congestion in some parts of Pretoria, due to the EFF protest action. From the information noted on the party’s flyer, things are expected to kick off at 10:00 with the meeting point confirmed to be at Loftus Park
Let’s goooo! #MarchToSaveLives pic.twitter.com/8LbTdiYXF9
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 25, 2021
Therefore, motorists are advised to avoid these streets as from 10:00:
- Kirkness Street
- Eastwood Street
- Park Street; and
- Orient Street
Law enforcement authorities are expected to be on the grounds to monitor the protests.