Various unions were given the opportunity to share their views during the launch of the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out for teachers and the education sector on Wednesday at the KaNyamazane Education Development Centre (the former Ngwenya College). The Department of Education said it would start by administering the vaccine to educators before proceeding to other staff members.

Here are some of the unions’ views:

Sdumo Masilela of Nehawu said, “If this was according to our wishes and plans, this programme would have come when we are still at those early stages of levels. We are raising this issue, because as organised labour and society as a whole, we have lost a lot of workers that were servicing our communities. The pandemic has exposed the challenges we are experiencing as the country.”

Oupa Bodibe of Sadtu said, “We are fully supportive of this programme and we have encouraged our members to participate.”

Gordon Lancaster of SAOU said, “We would like to thank the departments involved today, education and health, for assisting us so that we can do our work without fear of this virus. I can see the health people are working relentlessly and we want to thank them.”

ALSO READ: Teachers and education sector receive vaccinations

Given Mabuza of Natu said, “We must make sure that we guard against what we call ‘information damage’, where people will be misled by people, spreading false information, trying to discourage our colleagues.”

ALSO READ: Vaccine roll-out phase for education sector under way

It was announced during the meeting that all the teachers and education staff would receive information about when will they would be vaccinated at their schools.