Sanef welcomes government’s decision to prioritise journalists in vaccine rollout plan
"Journalists, as designated frontline workers have risked their lives every day for the past 16 months, working throughout the pandemic as part of their responsibility to the public." - Sanef’s Secretary-General Mahlatse Mahlase.
The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) has welcomed the government’s decision to follow through on its promise to prioritise journalists in the country’s vaccine rollout programme.
In January this year, Sanef made an impassioned plea to the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) for journalists to be on the list of essential workers and be prioritised in the second phase of the rollout.
“Journalists, as designated frontline workers, have risked their lives every day for the past 16 months, working throughout the pandemic as part of their responsibility to the public,” said Sanef’s Secretary-General Mahlatse Mahlase.
On Monday, the government informed Sanef that journalists will be next in line as soon as all media houses submit their information regarding their employees’ age groups and regions where they are stationed.
All community media establishments around the country including freelance journalists will also receive forms that they must complete and submit to Government Communications and Information System (GCIS).
“SANEF particularly appreciates the government’s decision to not only inoculate frontline journalists but to accommodate all categories of media workers as the government wants to target and deal with the media as a sector than a selected group,” added Mahlase.
“We call on all journalists and the media fraternity to vaccinate so that the government can quickly move onto the next priority sectors,” added Mahlase.
Details about the programme and what needs to be done will be revealed soon.
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