Deputy President David Mabuza on Thursday visited Rustenburg as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on COVID-19 Vaccines to encourage all South Africans to get their jab.
“Vaccinating is the only way that will make us to be safe from COVID-19 disease,” Deputy President Mabuza said.
The North West province has reportedly achieved about 20.1% vaccination coverage of the target population, placing it as the third lowest performing province. The Bojanala District, which constitutes close to half the total population of the province, is currently the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is for this reason the Deputy President, accompanied by members of the IMC, conducted an oversight visit to the area.
He was welcomed by North West Premier Bushy Maape and the province’s senior officials at Rustenburg’s Orbit TVET College where he was briefed about the provincial vaccination programme.
The Deputy President interacted with students at the institution, encouraging them to be inoculated at the vaccination site at the college.
“I have always wanted to get vaccinated but unfortunately was always busy with school work. I thank the Deputy President for making it possible for me to vaccinate,” Thato Mokoena, a student at the college told SAnews.
Israel Medupi, who also received his jab during the Deputy President’s tour of the vaccination site, said he was thankful for the opportunity.
Deputy President Mabuza also visited the Rustenburg taxi rank and Rustenburg Mall where he encouraged commuters and shoppers to go and vaccinate at a nearby vaccine site.
“To make our country safe from the pandemic, it starts with you, if you get vaccinated, all of us will be safe,” he said.
Paul Matemane, one of the citizens who got their jab at the mall’s vaccination site on Thursday, encouraged others to vaccinate. “If all of us we could vaccinate, there won’t be too many deaths, people will be safe from COVID-19,” he said.
The Presidency said all provinces remain key to ensuring that the target of population immunity is reached by 31 December 2021.
Source: South African Government News Agency