South African scientist and epidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal/ AFP
The EFF on Thursday expressed its delight at the breaking news that South Africa’s top advisor on coronavirus Dr Salim Abdool Karim has resigned.
“Throughout the entire pandemic in South Africa, Karim has made horribly incorrect predictions and his advice has been centred around protecting the interests of capital over and above the protection of human life,” the party said in a statement.
It said Karim was at the forefront of the government’s poor decision making and “misleading the nation.”
The party also accused Karim of being at the forefront of poor decisions made by the government to prematurely ease lockdown regulations, only to tighten regulations once there were increased infections.
“As a scientist, he lacks foresight and operated solely on his misguided opinion. His most dangerous advice was when South Africa reached the peak of the first wave of the virus and when Karim endangered entire communities by advising schools be reopened.”
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The party said had it not been for its interventions and outrage of the school governing bodies, principals, trade unions and civil society, the situation could have been worse.
It also criticised Karim for the ongoing snarl-up in vaccine procurement by the government.
“Karim has himself admitted to his failure when he confessed he had not advised the government to participate in vaccine development and procurement efforts earlier, leaving us vulnerable to the global vaccination race as an underdeveloped nation.”
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