Malema criticises ANC’s bread handouts, urges Ramaphosa to prioritise 24-hour clinic operations

EFF Leader Julius MalemaEFF leader Julius Malema has criticised recent bread distribution linked to the African National Congress (ANC). EFF leader Julius Malema has criticised recent bread distribution linked to the African National Congress (ANC). EFF leader Julius Malema has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to adopt the party’s proposal to introduce 24-hour operations at clinics and improve healthcare facilities, saying people want functional health services not “bread per house”.

Malema made the remarks on Thursday during Ramaphosa’s oral question session in the National Assembly at the Nieuwmeester Dome. He reminded Parliament that the EFF introduced a bill in 2018 proposing that clinics operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Malema said South Africans could not wait for the delayed implementation of the National Health Insurance Act (NHI) while they were already facing illness and poor healthcare services.

“They are not going to be sick in 2030. So we must be seen to be doing something now. Our people want clinics and health facilities that are in good condition, not bread per house,” Malema said. His comments come after a viral video involving ANC MP and Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts showed volunteers distributing bread under the ANC’s name and branding – an incident some critics viewed as a campaign stunt ahead of the local government elections.