The Economic Freedom Fighters has condemned what it calls “homophobic and dangerous rhetoric” which is being spread around the recent Monkeypox outbreak.
On Thursday, Health Minister Joe Phaahla confirmed that first case of monkeypox has been identified in South Africa.
The patient is a 30-year-old male from Johannesburg with no travel history.
“This important discovery of monkeypox has now been clouded by dangerous, hurtful and discriminatory comments, attributing the spread of the disease to the sexual relations between men,” said EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo.
Thambo said this is harmful and baseless message and it is reminiscent of early stages of HIV/AIDS epidemic.
“The monkeypox disease can be contracted by anyone, and any attempt to blame homosexual men for the spread of the monkeypox is pseudo-science which is rooted in hate,”
“We must all desist from targeting vulnerable communities and creating stigma.”
