Julius Malema issues contradicting statements on EFF’s position on the ban of cigarettes. Firstly by implying that banning tobacco without scientific explanation is abuse of power, but at the same time citing that in the long run the banning of cigarettes must be supported.
“We have been observing an unnecessary attack on Minister Nkosazana Zuma. It’s nonsensical and unacceptable, we all know where Nkosazana comes from with her battle against tobacco. It’s a principled stance she has taken,” he said.
Loudly and emphatically, Malema says EFF’s strategy is to support any strategy that is based in scientific evidence presented by scientists.
“The banning of tobacco should be supported by a scientific explanation. In the absence of that it is abuse of power.
Scientifically, it has been proven that trauma units are overburdened by alcohol abuse. It cannot be correct that you uplift alcohol sales and ban cigarette sales,” he said.
Malema argues that small companies are the ones that will suffer when the economy is opened by banning cigarettes in South Africa.
“The banning of cigarettes in South Africa benefits the multi-national companies and will hurt the small companies who will struggle to operate when the economy is opened,” he said.
He also adds that “people don’t know that the organization of Mazzotti is the one taking government to court not BAT. The BAT exists in Namibia and all over the world,”.