DA calls on Premier to launch full inquiry into fitness of office of KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu
22 February 2021
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has today written to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier, SihleZikalala (view here), calling on him to appoint a full inquiry into provincial Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu’s fitness for office.
This after an alleged instruction by the MEC last week, that the administration of Covid-19 vaccinations to 40 KZN healthcare workers be delayed.
The essential Johnson & Johnson vaccines arrived in the province on 17 February. Indications are that the vaccination team at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) was ready to vaccinate healthcare workers that same afternoon. The hospital was already preparing the 40 vaccine doses for injection.
Despite this, the MEC appears to have ordered the delay of their administration. This is evidenced by a screenshot from the IALCH Vaccine WhatsApp Group, which has since gone viral on social media. In the message it is indicated that MEC Simelane-Zulu instructed the hospital CEO to stop vaccinations scheduled for healthcare workers that day.