Julius Malema is known for his opposition to alcohol. He has previously attributed his significant weight loss to cutting out the booze, and famously stated that ‘people will pick a book up after smoking marijuana, but not after drinking‘. So it perhaps makes sense that the EFF leader ramped things up on Tuesday.
Julius Malema fights for a second alcohol ban
Juju sounded a fierce warning towards Cyril Ramaphosa and officially announced his party’s stance on a second alcohol ban. Since 1 June, South Africans were able to purchase liquor for the first time during lockdown. But some politicians – including Malema – have linked this to a higher hospital admissions rate.
“We call for the reinstatement of the ban on alcohol, for the protection of human life over the desire for profit. The President of the country has allowed the sale of alcohol in a country that has a history of high fatalities and hospitalisation due to alcohol-related inter-personal violence.â€
“The death toll will continue to increase sharply and the health care infrastructure will be overburdened by alcohol-related trauma incidents and struggle to fight the deadly Coronavirus. This reckless decision places a burden on a health sector that is already overwhelmed.â€
Julius Malema
#EFFYouthDayRally Malema: At Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital patients in the trauma, the unit was reported to have doubled in the space of 24-hours after the resumption of the sale of alcohol.
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 16, 2020
Juju ‘to hold Ramaphosa personally responsible’ for booze-related deaths
Malema, whose rhetoric towards Cyril Ramaphosa has become a little spicier in recent times, vowed to hold the president responsible for all deaths linked to alcohol consumption going forward. The firebrand politician also criticised the head of state for being ‘spineless’, and accused him of ‘jeopardising black lives’. There’s no chance these two will be ironing things out over a pint any time soon, then…
“A majority of the patients seen in trauma units in hospitals since 1 June were there due to alcohol-related incidents, whether it be motor vehicle accidents or interpersonal violence. We warn Ramaphosa and all his accomplices that the mass-deaths we’ll witness over the coming weeks are due to his lack of decisiveness.â€
“This painful reality is a result of the incompetence, spinelessness and cowardice of our government led by Cyril Ramaphosa who has sacrificed the lives of South Africans in the interests of capital. We will hold this government and Ramaphosa personally responsible for the deliberate jeopardising of black lives.â€
Julius Malema
#EFFYouthDayRally Malema: Nurses and medical staff are now further exposed to catching the virus because they do not have PPE’s and are dealing with an increase in trauma unit cases due to alcohol
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 16, 2020
