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Faizel Patel – 20/01/2021
Political journalist Carien du Plessis says the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) by President Cyril Ramaphosa which will be in charge of the COVID-19 vaccines rollout is expected to cost a lot money.
Ramaphosa made the announcement in a Zoom meeting of the African National Congress Progressive Business Forum on Tuesday.
He also announced that the IMC would be chaired by Deputy President David Mabuza.
Ramaphosa has insisted that while there is no money to put in relief measures for those hard hit by restrictions implemented to curb the spread of the pandemic, there will be enough money to acquire the vaccines.
Speaking to Radio Islam on Wednesday, Du Plessis says a large part of the population is expected to be vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The President yesterday said forty million people will have to be vaccinated in a fairly short space of time so that we can get population immunity or that’s what the scientists think. They think about 65 or 67% of people must get the jab to get population immunity.”
Du Plessis says government has not acted fast enough in acquiring the vaccines.
“There is officials, meetings that were missed. We’ve seen the Health Department, the Health Minister being very defensive about this. But I do think with the President having intervened and having negotiated directly with other heads of state which seems to be happening in other countries as well, so with this happening it seems to be moving faster.”
Du Plessis questions whether another committee is needed for the vaccine rollout adding that they just delay the task including the possibility of not working well together.
Listen to the interview with Carien du Plessis
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