'We won't turn away undocumented people,' Treasury boss reveals
The government has revealed that illegal immigrants will also benefit from the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.
National Treasury director-general Dondo Mogajane said this during a virtual meeting between his department and the SA National Editors Forum on Wednesday afternoon.
“We are in SA and we have many millions of undocumented people and [we can't say they shouldn't receive the vaccine as they are undocumented]. The demand for the vaccine is going to be exceeded, and we are not going to turn away undocumented people…” said Mogajane, without revealing more details.
He said that getting the vaccine was for the public good, and it would be appreciated if medical aid companies could procure vaccine dosages for two or three extra people who are not their clients.
“We welcome all the donations and if medical aids want to pay for three people extra, and they must know that it's for the public good,” he said, as he urged donations relating to the vaccine to be channelled towards the Solidarity Fund.
Mogajane noted that the Covid-19 vaccination programme was the responsibility of the state and “the state cannot be found wanting” in this regard.
Treasury deputy director-general Ismael Momoniat said that in the meetings he has been attending at Nedlac they have seen a growing demand for the extension of social grants for unemployed people, as well as the extension of the Temporary Employment Relief Scheme and the loan guarantee scheme.
Momoniat said that some people made these demands as if the country was still on level 5 hard lockdown.
He, however, said they were busy talking with the department of employment and labour about the relief measures.
Another Treasury official said a request for deviation from normal processes in the procurement of the vaccine and in the transportation and distribution had been approved.
The official said the four logistics companies, which include DSV, had been awarded a contract to transport the Covid-19 vaccines at temperatures ranging between minus -17°C and 5°C.
The official said that contracts would be reviewed in six months