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EFF members at Clicks stores in Durban CBD during the national closure of all Clicks outlets.
Gallo Images / Darren Stewart
- The EFF in the Eastern Cape announced that it would take action against a regional leader for threatening to set fire to a hospital.
- Nelson Mandela Bay Regional Secretary Hector Peter was caught on tape threatening to set fire to the Netcare Cuyler Hospital if a Clicks dispensary did not close.
- He allegedly told local media that he was simply following orders from Julius Malema.
An EFF leader in the Eastern Cape, caught on tape threatening to set fire to a private hospital that houses a Clicks pharmacy, then justifying the threat to local media as he simply follows Julius Malema’s orders, is in trouble with Party.
The party’s provincial leadership said it would take “appropriate” action against Nelson Mandela Bay EFF regional secretary Hector Peter for comments inciting violence.
Peter, however, told News24 that he meant what he said as an empty threat.
The threat came during a confrontation between EFF members, led by Peter, and the management of the Netcare Cuyler Hospital in Uitenhage, EFF Eastern Cape President Yazini Tetyana confirmed.
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Tetyana said that while the goal of the party was for all Clicks stores to close across the country, it did not encourage violence.
He said that he had asked Peter to give him his version of events and that he would take appropriate action.
Tetyana said: “We were closing all Clicks stores in the country, including Uitenhage, so the EFF members were there. Our intention was to make sure that all stores were closed without any violence or intimidation.
“In a political space, sometimes people tend to be too emotional without meaning to say some of the things they say. We have asked the regional secretary if this really happened. This is not how the EFF operates, we will have a greater commitment with the member in question. “
Tetyana said the party successfully closed Clicks pharmacy after the incident.
‘Following Malema’s directives’
According to HeraldLive, in two video clips circulating on social media, Peter was heard clearly telling staff that if the EFF’s demands were not met, the hospital would be burned down.
The newspaper said that when asked about the video clips later, Peter readily admitted the threat, but said he was justified in doing so, as EFF president Julius Malema had called for the closure of all Clicks stores.
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He said the group was simply following Malema’s directive, the newspaper said.
Peter said they had not come to close the hospital, but the Clicks store on site.
The hospital dispensary was in the same room from which Clicks operated.
In a statement, Netcare Chief Pharmacy Officer Vishala Gokool-Sewram said: “While Clicks ‘retail stores’ at Netcare hospitals and Clicks pharmacies at Medicross centers are closed Currently, Netcare-owned institutional hospital pharmacies are, however, continuing to supply drugs and equipment to theaters as well as ICU and ward patients.
“We have been in discussions with the top management of Clicks earlier this week and we received their assurance that they would take the necessary steps to rectify this situation.”
Peter, called for comment, said: “What I said was just a political statement, EFF is a progressive organization with a commitment to South Africans. We were never going to burn South Africans alive.”
When asked if he meant to say that he had made an empty threat, Peter said, “That’s correct.”
