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Public sector unions refuse to support mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations

Details

southafricalogoFin24 reports that while labour federation Cosatu now supports mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policies, unions in the public sector are resisting compulsory jabs in workplaces and public areas.

The Public Servants Association (PSA), the SA Policing Union (Sapu) and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) have all confirmed that they would oppose mandatory vaccinations. The Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA (Denosa) is still deciding on its position. On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that a task team had been established to consult about making vaccination mandatory for specific activities and locations. "We have taken a decision that we will not support another lockdown so if the only other option is mandatory vaccination, we will not oppose it," said Cosatu’s spokesperson Sizwe Pamla earlier this week. He stressed that workers must not be victimised in the vaccination process. The PSA’s Reuben Maleka noted that the union has called on its members to get the Covid-19 vaccination – but warned that jabs should not be mandatory for public servants. Maleka said that vaccination should be totally voluntary as many South Africans were "still afraid about the effects" of the vaccine and making vaccination mandatory would add to this anxiety. Popcru’s Richard Mamabolo said there was great concern for government encroachment on individual rights. "It is our firm belief that no employee should be forced to vaccinate, as that will be against their rights and Sapu will explore all legalities around this matter in order to protect our members," Sapu’s Lesiba Thobakgale indicated.

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24


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