In January 2021, when health minister Zweli Mkhize started giving public briefings on the country’s vaccine rollout strategy, he kept referring to SA citizens in his speeches. In an interview with SABC news, he also said vaccines would be limited to South African citizens, since the country “does not have the capacity to assist undocumented foreign nationals”.
But President Cyril Ramaphosa later said vaccines would be made available to all adults living in South Africa regardless of citizenship or residency status.
Asylum seekers waiting at the revamped Desmond Tutu Refugee Reception Centre in Marabastad. (Photo: GCIS)
Then, at the end of February, Mkhize told members of the National Council of Provinces that the government must still draw up plans for the vaccination of undocumented foreign nationals.