For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: Govt chooses electronic vaccine roll-out system, Government hospitals will continue accommodating Covid-19 patients from private hospitals and, DA and UDM says Nqaba Bhanga will contest mayoral elections again

Govt chooses electronic vaccine roll-out system

The South African government is establishing an electronic vaccination data system – or EVDS – to assist with the management and surveillance of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Department of Health’s deputy director-general Dr Anban Pillay explained that the EVDS will help government monitor vaccine effectiveness, planning and safety monitoring, as well as uptake and coverage.

Pillay, who is a member of the South African Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee on vaccines, said that the EVDS will roll out simultaneously with the vaccine in early February.

Government hospitals will continue accommodating Covid-19 patients from private hospitals

Government hospitals are easing the burden of private institutions that are bursting at the seams with Covid-19 patients.

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize revealed at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg that government hospitals were accommodating patients from private hospitals.

Mkhize said they were trying to understand why private hospitals were overburdened with Covid-19 patients.

Mkhize applauded public health institutions that were making plans to accommodate patients.

DA and UDM says Nqaba Bhanga will contest mayoral elections again

The DA and UDM have revealed that Nqaba Bhanga will contest the mayoral position in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro when it convenes elections for the new mayor within the next seven days.

On Tuesday, the DA reached an out of court settlement with Eastern Cape Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha.

Nqatha had taken Bhanga to court, challenging the lawfulness of his 4 December election as mayor.

Nqatha wanted Bhanga removed from the post, arguing that his election was "wrongful, unlawful and null and void".

Bhanga agreed that he would be the mayor until the elections were convened for a new mayor to be appointed.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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