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. Sowetan
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