Julius Malema warns ‘lockdown will collapse’ if rules are relaxed

We’re all in this lockdown together, but some industries are desperately trying to get back to work against the advice of the South African government. As pressure mounts on the state to allow some businesses to open their doors again, EFF leader Julius Malema is standing firm on the matter.

Julius Malema warns of “lockdown collapse”

Juju has been extremely vocal when it comes to telling people they must stay indoors, up until the end of lockdown on Friday 17 April. He called those violating lockdown “bloody fools” last week. Now, amid the increasing clamour from employers to resume business as usual, Malema has warned that any relaxations of these rules could lead to “barbarism”.

“If the state [won’t be] firm and avoid negotiating with any non-essential sector of the economy for relaxation of lockdown regulations, this lockdown will collapse, barbarism will emerge and the deadly coronavirus will spread like wildfire: millions will die. Stop it cowards!”

Julius Malema

Our essential services only include:

• Medical professionals, emergency services, financial and banking work, food production/distribution teams, grocery stores and certain spaza shops, electricity and water suppliers, fuel production/distribution, essential government and municipal services, care workers, veterinary professionals, funeral and mortuary services, wildlife units, media outlets, cleaning and sanitation services, judicial and court workers, private security, air traffic controllers, selected SARS staff, police and soldiers, certain transport providers, Parliamentary representatives, and human rights activists.

Punishments for working during lockdown

Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has issued a stern warning this week, stating that any non-essential businesses who try to operate during lockdown will be committing a criminal offence. Workers being asked to attend their jobs when they shouldn’t have to are encouraged to contact the police – these sentiments also echoed by Julius Malema :

“Some employers who are not delivering essential services and goods are forcing their employees to work. In terms of Regulation 11G, this is a criminal offence and puts at risk not only those employees, but all who they are in contact with and goes against the call for as many of us as possible to ‘stay at home’.”

“Any employee who is not involved in a business delivering essential services and goods and who is forced to work is entitled to contact SAPS and report their employer.  Any worker who does this and is subsequently victimized will be protected by the Labour Relations Act since this will is an unfair labour practice.”

Thulas Nxesi