POLOKWANE – The South African Police Service in Limpopo has today, on Thursday 08 July 2021 launched the Provincial COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout Programme for SAPS employees.

The MEC for Transport and Community Safety Mme Mvhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya alongside the MEC for Health Doctor Phophi Ramathuba and the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, launched the vaccination of SAPS members at Bendor in Polokwane.

During today’s vaccination process, Two hundred and fifty (250) employees received their jabs. About 3282 are expected to be vaccinated at this site alone. The remaining 9848 employees are expected to be vaccinated at other 13 identified sites in the Province. The programme is expected to run for a period of ten (10) days.

The province has experienced the outbreak despite interventions forcing the temporary closure of several police stations daily. However, the SAPS management through the COVID-19 Provincial Steering Committee of which Employee Health and Wellness (EHW) forms an integral part, has been working around the clock to offer moral support to the members and ensuring that they have adequate PPEs and also adhere to the COVID-19 health protocols.

The two MECs joined by the Provincial Commissioner conducted a walk-about at the site to monitor COVID-19 compliance and safety.

The Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe was the first to receive the jab and said that this activity marks a milestone in the lives of men and women in blue particularly that this is the moment we have been waiting for, given the responsibility that is assigned to us of ensuring that those who contravene the Disaster Management Act Regulations are brought to book. Lieutenant General Hadebe thanked the delegation from the National Steering Committee that has been assigned to ensure that this rollout was a success.

Source: South African Police Service