EFF statement on Ramaphosa administration’s incompetence on vaccine
8 February 2021
The EFF is appalled to learn of the inexcusable lack of foresight and incompetence by the Ramaphosa Administration regarding the procurement of Astra-Zeneca vaccines. Not only is the vaccine close to reaching expiration prior to its full rollout in phase one, but also its efficacy on the 501.V2/B.1.351 has been discovered by scientists to be around 20%.
When the new variant was reported in mid-December last year, EFF raised concerns over the efficacy of Astra-Zeneca vaccines on it. However, true to this administrations' incompetence, our concerns were never taken seriously. We warned that before procurement of Astra-Zeneca vaccines, there must be scientific certainty of its efficacy.
In fact, it is only rational that as soon as the new variant was reported in South Africa and found to have a footprint of more than 10% during ongoing research: the procurement of Astra-Zeneca vaccines should have been immediately halted to scientifically ascertain its efficacy.
As a country we must be embarrassed by the Public Relations exercise that took place at OR Tambo International Airport on the 1st of February 2021 by President Cyril Ramaphosa and his ministers welcoming a vaccine with no efficacy for our context. Their PR exercises was a perfect display of general incompetency and ignorance by clowns who call themselves government. They must be ashamed for dangerously embarrassing South Africa.
The failure to efficiently procure vaccines with adequate efficacy, in time and properly administer them to the whole population will lead to mass suffering and death. Thisplaced squarely in the hands of Ramaphosa. Why should people die when there are scientifically proved medical interventions to be made. If a government did not acquire available means to save lives, it is rational to call this negligence for what it is: mass murder.
The EFF calls for an immediate consolidation and further research on efficacy of vaccines on the 501.V2/B.1.351 variants by all vaccine manufacturers that Minister Zweli Mkhize has made contractual and non-contractual agreements with. The information pertaining to all these agreements with vaccine manufacturers must be made available to all on an accessible and public domain in the effort to strengthen transparency and vigilance.
The EFF once again calls on the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, to also divulge information on the role of Treasury prior, during and post to the agreements made with vaccine manufacturing companies. There must be accountability given to our people on why a vaccine expiring before our phase one rollout strategy was procured for twice the price than it was sold in European countries.
The insistence by Minister Zweli Mkhize to not build state capacity to facilitate local manufacturing of vaccines is one that should be emphasised the most. More effort and resources should be plunged into the local vaccine trial and an overall program of solidifying the base of our public health system to steer towards being preventative and not curative.
Vuyani Pambo (National Spokesperson): 066 082 0889
