DA to approach the Human Rights Commission for government’s failure to rollout vaccines
6 April 2021
Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbite by Siviwe Gwarube MP.
Today, the DA will approach the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to urgently launch an investigation into government’s tardy and criminally slow vaccine rollout strategy. This is in addition to the decision the party has taken to explore further legal challenge against the South African government on this matter.
South Africa began its vaccine rollout exactly seven weeks with the Johnson and Johnson Sisonke trial which is meant to overlap with phase 1 of the rollout to cover the target of 1.2 million healthcare workers. To date, just over 269 000 healthcare workers have been vaccinated – a fraction of the target. The trial alone is meant to cover 500 000 healthcare workers but has been impossibly slow. In the last 4 days alone, not a single jab has been administered.
The Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, continuously blames external and global factors for the throttled supply of the vaccine. However, South Africa’s acquisition was slow as we receive drips and drabs of supply; thus the rollout is pitiful.