The Democratic Alliance (DA) has rejected the appointment of Deputy President David Mabuza as head of the inter-ministerial committee to oversee the country’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout programme.
The party says Mabuza is unreliable and has a history of failure in governance.
As the first batch of vaccine doses is expected to be delivered by the end of this month, government aims to vaccinate 40 million South Africans before the end of the year in an effort to achieve herd immunity.
The DA says Mabuza failed in his capacity as premier of Mpumalanga and as Chairperson of the political task team on Eskom by not being able to secure energy security.
The DA also says Mabuza has effectively been an absent Deputy President since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis at a time when South Africans were looking to government to show leadership.
In a statement, the party says: “The fact that the President has made this move proves that South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine plan is now no longer about saving lives. It is about his political alliances within the ANC. This is evidenced by the fact that the President made this announcement via Zoom during the ANC’s Progressive Business Forum, as opposed to an announcement via the appropriate government channels in his capacity as the Head of State.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement of the inter-ministerial committee for the country’s vaccine rollout on Tuesday.
Ramaphosa further assured South Africans that funds to procure vaccines for COVID-19 are available.
ANC President Ramaphosa announces ministerial team that will oversee COVID-19 vaccine rollout:
Vaccine rollout plan:
According to the government, the vaccine is going to be rolled out in three phases.
Phase one
- Front line healthcare workers (HCW). Target population: 1 250 000
Phase two
- Essential workers. Target population: 2 500 000
- Persons in congregate settings. Target population: 1 100 000
- Persons > 60 years. Target population: 5 000 000
- Persons >18 years with co-morbidities. Target population: 8 000 000
Phase 3
- Other persons >18 years. Target population: 22 500 000
Dr Zweli Mkhize gives more clarity on SA’s vaccine rollout:
