Labour Federation Cosatu has raised questions over the pace of the vaccination rollout programme saying the government’s aim of obtaining herd immunity against COVID-19, is far from being achieved.
Cosatu held a media briefing on Thursday, following its two-day special central executive committee meeting, adding it will not abandon the ANC ahead of this year’s local government polls.
Over 283 000 healthcare workers have been inoculated so far with Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize saying further consignments of the Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are to be delivered to South Africa in the coming months.
Cosatu’s General Secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali has also called for further transparency on when the vaccines will be rolled out nationally.
“Almost all promises with the target that the government has announced, they are failing to achieve and is it not clear as to why. We were told that by December 2021, 67% of the population will be vaccinated. I think we are far from that. Government has to put it openly to TV and radio stations, how many people have been vaccinated and where are the problems so that we can move together with society.”
Meanwhile, Mkhize says government has secured agreements for 51 million doses of vaccine doses from pharmaceutical Johnson and Johnson to combat COVID-19. He has also announced that the next batch of vaccine doses from the company is expected to arrive in the country on Monday.
Mkhize also told the media that the 17th of next month will mark the end of the first phase. The second phase will start then and end in October.
Minister Mkhize makes announcement on the arrival of the vaccines:
