AfriForum writes attorney’s letter to Ramaphosa requesting copy of proposed BEE vaccine policy

29 January 2021  

The civil rights organisation AfriForum’s legal team today directed an attorney’s letter to Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa requesting written confirmation whether government intends on applying BEE measures and requirements to the procurement, distribution and administering  of COVID-19 vaccines, as has been reported recently in the media.

Furthermore, AfriForum requested feedback on whether there has been a formal policy adopted regarding the above, as well as a copy of the adopted policy, should it be the case that government has already adopted such a formal policy.

“If it is the case that government is going ahead with BEE criteria with regards to vaccines, as has been reported, it would mean the government is prioritising a racial agenda over saving lives. In the past BEE policies have proven to be nothing more than facilitators of corruption, cadre deployment and enriching the politically connected. Based on the overwhelming past evidence in this regard, one can reasonably conclude that injecting BEE into vaccine policies will be for the same corrupt purposes. A government that has already looted funds intended for the vulnerable, the struggling and the sick during the lockdown, has forfeited being given the benefit of the doubt,” says Ernst van Zyl, Campaign Officer for Strategy and Content at AfriForum.

Issued by Carina Bester, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum, 29 January 2021