EFF opposed to alcohol sales under level 3 — but stays mum on smokes

The EFF has opposed the mooted lifting of the ban on alcohol sales when the country moves to level three of the Covid-19 lockdown next month.

However, the party is mum on the possible end of the ban on cigarette sales.

Julius Malema, the leader of EFF, has on several occasions admitted to the party taking money from controversial businessman Adriano Mazzotti, who is alleged to be a big player in the illicit trade on cigarettes.

Malema has openly boasted about his friendship with Mazzotti.

“The intention to permit the sale of alcohol will only worsen the situation because even when there is no effort to contain a pandemic, alcohol has been responsible for many health-related and social ills in society,” said EFF spokesperson Vuyani Pambo.  

The party on Friday said it was opposed to the reopening of schools on June 1 unless 11 “non-negotiable” conditions are met by government.

The EFF said schools should remain closed until there is:

• A scientific illustration that the spread of the virus has been contained in SA;
• Guaranteed quality health care facilities and systems for all schools;
• Guaranteed infrastructure for teaching and learning, including additional classrooms which will ensure that the teacher to pupil ratio is 1:20;
• Guaranteed social distancing spaces, including assembly points and retail food spaces where human contact will be prevented;
• Ban of contact sporting activities;
• A well-coordinated system of sanitisation and supply of key essentials which must be administered by the department of health;
• Guaranteed clean water supply for all school;
• Guaranteed sanitation, emphatically clean toilets for all schools, including those that did not have toilets before the advent of Covid-19;
• Safe and reliable scholar transport system which will ensure that pupils keep a social distance;
• Technology which will lessen the time pupils spend in physical schools and integrated into the technological form of teaching and learning; and
• A parliamentary multiparty committee which will verify and confirm that all schools in all provinces meet these essential preconditions.

The party added that it was also opposed to the gradual reopening of the economy which they believe only serves the interests of big business.

According to the EFF, the easing of the lockdown regulations should only happen when the Covid-19 daily infection rate is below 45 people.

“Currently, daily infections exceed 1,000. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already said that SA is not ready to ease the lockdown regulations,” said Pambo.