The mass gathering that took place in Nkandla on Sunday, July 4 which saw thousands of supporters convene in favour of former president Jacob Zuma has sparked outrage all across the country. On Twitter, acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi Ngubane raised concerns about this becoming a potential super spreader event.
Since then, John Steenhuisen, leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) has requested that President Cyril Ramaphosa take action against Zuma and his supporters who have defied the Disaster Management Act, as News24 reports.
“It is unthinkable that while the liquor industry, small business and restaurants have had to endure devastating losses to adhere to these restrictions, members of the ANC and Jacob Zuma’s RET faction can seemingly break them without consequence. The president’s silence on this matter only reinforces what many South Africans have come to believe: that nobody is above the law, except those connected to the ANC’s elite.
“There is no reason why restaurants cannot host a sit-down dinner service or bars cannot safely serve patrons if thousands of Zuma supporters can gather on a whim without consequence,” Steenhuisen said.
He further mentioned that if Ramaphosa puts these measures in place, it will show South Africans that he has placed the country above his party.
“He must ensure that Jacob Zuma and his supporters are held to the same standards as any other South African. If not, he will forever be remembered as the president who arrested surfers and joggers while letting his compatriots off scot-free. Jacob Zuma is an ordinary citizen. It is high time he is treated as one,” Steenhuisen added.
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