Temporary closure of schools nothing but a PR stunt – EFF

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are not the only ones fed up with government’s decision to have public schools closed for four weeks. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has decided to go to court over the decision.

While addressing the nation on Thursday 23 July, President Cyril Ramaphosa formally announced Cabinet’s decision to close public schools from 27 July to 24 August. 

SCHOOLS: NO SCIENTIFIC MODELLING SUGGESTS A FLATTENING OF THE CURVE

The fighters said the four-week closure of schools is just a PR stunt as no scientific modelling suggests the upward curve of infections will flatten, making it safe for learners to return.

The EFF believes that a mere four weeks will not be efficient in saving the lives of learners. In fact, the party has suggested again that the country move to lockdown Level 5 for the next three months. 

“The closure of schools is long overdue and the experiment with the lives of children and teachers is something the EFF has long condemned. It is painful that children were sacrificed to this virus and subjected to the cruelty of inadequate PPE’s and poor infrastructure. To send children to schools during a deadly pandemic is homicidal and to subject them to sanitisers with low alcohol content and lack of masks is tantamount to murder,” it said in a statement on Friday. 

“We reiterate that the reopening of schools must not be based on the assumptive gut-feelings of compromised experts like Dr Salim Abdool Karim or political deliberations by the likes of Angie Motshekga. Independent scientific and epidemiological evidence must inform the reopening of schools, and this must be guided by advice from the World Health Organisation,” it added.  

‘RAMAPHOSA CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH LOGICAL DECISION-MAKING’

The EFF said it’s disappointing that Ramaphosa insists on an exhibition of a rapid rise of infections and the loss of life before he takes logical decisions. 

“His lack of foresight and decisive leadership will continue to result in pain and mass deaths while he and his cronies continue to profit off a global pandemic. Ramaphosa cannot be trusted with logical decision making and fighting corruption, and he exhibits this consistently. None of the posturings he does in his glorified family meetings will do anything to change this reality,” it said. 

The EFF, furious about the decision to close schools for a mere four weeks, then took to pointing out possible flaws in the COVID-19 data. Quoting from the South African Medical Research Council, the party said inaccurate readings of the data could very well be taking place since politicians are handling the data instead of scientists. 

According to the fighters, the South African Medical Research Council reported a 59% increase in mortalities recorded as natural deaths in South Africa during this period — a substantial increase compared to historical data. 

“This has led scientists to believe that there is an inaccurate recording of COVID-19 related deaths in the country and effectively under-recording of COVID-19 deaths. This is not difficult to believe considering the recording and reporting of COVID-19 data is being handled by politicians, who will manipulate data to suit their narratives,” it said.

The EFF has, therefore, called on an immediate and independent scientific review of COVID-19 figures. The party said no politician must assume the role of health statistician as figures are being manipulated by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and the Western Cape government to give the impression that the government is doing a better job than the rest of the world.