AfriForum, Solidarity to challenge ‘state monopoly’ on Covid vaccine

AfriForum and Solidarity have instructed their legal teams to prepare a case challenging the government’s proposed monopoly on the buying and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

The two organisations said on Friday they want to ensure those who seek to get the vaccine are not obstructed from doing so.

“AfriForum’s stance is that government cannot have a monopoly on deciding who receives the vaccine and who does not,” said Ernst van Zyl, an official at the organisation.

“Allowing the private sector to purchase and distribute Covid-19 vaccines would allow for better efficiency regarding distributing the vaccine to those who want it, as well as to ensure government incompetence or corruption does not derail the process.”

Connie Mulder, head of the Solidarity Research Institute, said SA cannot allow the “nationalisation” of vaccines.

“The state has a history of failures and South Africa cannot afford another failure during this crisis,” he said.

The health ministry this week said a million dosages of a Covid-19 vaccine will be received in January and a further 500,000 in February through the Serum Institute of India. Health workers will be the first to benefit.

The government has previously stated it is liaising with the private sector to roll out Covid-19 vaccinations, but has not yet spelt out how this is would be implemented.

TimesLIVE