Covid19 Vaccines Must Be Voluntary and Not Compulsory, Says DA, Calls for Government to Halt Mandate Plans

• The Democratic Alliance has issued an official statement declaring their opposition to the government's proposed Covid-19 vaccine mandate
• The party expressed its support for vaccination and said the government should encourage South Africans to receive the vaccine
• South Africa's herd immunity has reached 70%; therefore, the opposition does not believe that vaccinations are as urgent

CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) has issued an official statement declaring their opposition to the government's proposed Covid-19 vaccine mandate because the party believes that vaccination is a personal choice.

In their statement, the DA expresses its support for vaccination and says the government should instead encourage South Africans to receive the vaccine independently rather than institute vaccine mandates.

"The social risk that the policy of vaccine mandates would seek to address is relieving excessive pressure on hospitals due to Covid-19. Yet there is no significant pressure on hospitals due to Covid-19 at present," the DA wrote in their statement.

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Vaccine mandates: University of the Free State receive legal action from Solidarity

Why the DA does not support vaccine mandates

The DA wrote in their statement that the Covid-19 transmission rate has remained relatively high amongst vaccinated people. However, the party acknowledged the reduced risk of hospitalisation and death that the vaccine offered and said that people should choose to get vaccinated for these reasons.

Gwen Ngwenya, the head of policy for the DA, said that current research shows that South Africa's herd immunity has reached 70%. Therefore Ngwena said the DA does not believe that vaccinations are as urgent in South Africa as a vaccine mandate would make it seem, SABC News reports.

However, the health minister Dr Joe Phaala is hopeful that the president will soon announce its official vaccine policy. Dr Phaala said that the current low vaccine rate concerns the health department.

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South Africans react to DA's vaccine mandate stance

@JohanDavids said:

"Interesting. Wonder what spurred this on?"

@ALETTAHA shared:

"Louder, for those at the back. The amount of vitriol being thrown around about this emotive subject is really awful. From both sides of the spectrum."

@lrate_Pirate remarked:

"That took you long enough."

@Hector_Maoto said:

"I hate it when the ANC makes me agree with the Democratic Alliance."

@SirMafia_II believes:

"The Democratic Alliance is not the answer!"

Vaccine mandates: University of the Free State receive legal action from Solidarity

Speaking of vaccine mandates, Briefly News previously reported that Solidarity, a trade union, has motioned legal action against the University of the Free State (UFS) due to its Covid-19 vaccine mandate.

Connie Mulder, a union representative, said that the mandate does not align with human rights and has resulted in Solidarity receiving over 300 requests from staff and students who need legal advice on the matter.

Solidarity has requested that UFS review its vaccine mandate and encourage it to lift it. The trade union also claims that before a vaccine mandate is implemented, risk analysis needs to take place, which the UFS did not do.

Source: Briefly News