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The DA has received an invitation from the EFF to join its mass march to the offices of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). We have decided it is absolutely crucial to decline this invitation. To accept it would be to endorse the deeply irresponsible actions of the EFF who are placing the lives of South Africans in danger through a super spreader event.

The reality is that government has completely failed to roll out an effective vaccination programme since it began its inoculation in February. The fact that under 2.5 million South Africans have received their jabs when the target is 40 million people by year-end, is a massive indictment on the ANC government. However, as political parties, we cannot worsen a dire situation by risking mass cluster outbreaks.

Gauteng is already the epicenter of the third wave of infections, contributing over 50% of the new daily Covid-19 infections. To host a mass march like this will not only endanger the supporters and attendees of the march but also those who they’ll be in contact with, a situation which could overwhelm the health system to a breaking point for many of our healthcare workers.

The reality is that many of those who will be endangered by these actions will battle to find a hospital bed and access to oxygen supply while the political elite will have access to the best medical care. Politicians should not use South Africans as fodder in the battle against a government that has already let them down. It is short-sighted and frankly criminal.

While we agree that many more vaccines should be in circulation and there should be a decentralised distribution - the regulator must be allowed to be do scientific work without undue political influence. Any credible regulator has to be above the political jostling that the EFF is drawing SAHPRA into.

The DA continues to place workable solutions on the table for government to adopt in order to save lives. Urgent intervention is needed in Gauteng to unlock additional beds, the rollout of the vaccination programme needs to ramped up significantly and greater transparency is needed on the number of vaccines that are available in the country. We need to constantly check the rate of vaccination against the supply in the country.

Our concern remains saving lives and livelihoods, even in the face of rank government failure. We cannot let South Africans down.

Issued by The DA