Deputy President David Mabuza says consultations are under way to relax the current lockdown restrictions, ahead of the local government elections.
He was speaking during a visit to Rustenburg in the North West. Mabuza is part of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 vaccines.
” We are taking consultation with some formations in the country with the president together with Minister [Joe] Phaahla, Minister Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma, we were consulting with all political leaders. The reason why is because it is quite clear that we are going to the elections and we are doing very well. Gauteng and Limpopo are already out of the third wave, but the other provinces are still remaining a bit in the wave, North West is remaining behind but we pushing now in terms of vaccinations so we are doing well.”
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Students encouraged to vaccinate
Mabuza, engaged with students at the Rustenburg TVET College. He encouraged them to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Some of the students who heeded the call by government leaders to vaccinate had this to say.
”I think that at the end of the day everyone needs to vaccinate because we want the economy to rise again so we have no choice but to vaccinate.”
”I am feeling happy. I am excited. It’s nice to have it.”
”I have been waiting for two weeks I registered two weeks ago. So today I am taking my jab.”
The North West government says more than 730 000 vaccines have been administered in the province so far.
Mabuza says he is happy that significant strides have been made in the vaccine rollout programme in the province.
”Two weeks back they were at 14 percent, today we are at 22 percent, very good. We are aiming to take the province in the two weeks to 44 percent. We must double up. I am happy young people are responding. They’ve got their own fears, but we are persuading them. Most of the students have vaccinated,” adds Mabuza
Authorities say the country has enough vaccines to reach its target of vaccinating 40-million South Africans by the end of December.
