ACDP threatens action if mandatory vaccination rule is enforced

THE African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has expressed concern over reports that there were plans to force the public to take mandatory vaccinations in the Western Cape.

The party held demonstrations outside the provincial legislature recently, opposing the suggestion of mandatory vaccinations and the government’s vaccine passport roll-out.

The party’s elections manager, Grant Haskin, said they were concerned the ruling DA wanted to enforce mandatory vaccines in the province.

“We are concerned and we oppose the Premier of the Western Cape’s stated intentions that he is pursuing mandatory vaccinations in the government and private sector in the Western Cape.

“We are further concerned that during Heritage Day, recently, he opened all of the Western Cape museums and there were a list of them that he gave free entry to vaccinated people … in other words, unvaccinated people are being discriminated against and are being financially penalised,” he said.

“What we could face next in the City of Cape Town municipality is that if the DA wins, they are going to make vaccination compulsory for City staff.

“Now the staff will get a choice to take the vaccine to keep your job, or lose your job if you choose not to vaccinate.

“We will not allow that, people will not be forced by an ACDP City government. We want freedom of choice and freedom of movement,” he said.

Premier Alan Winde’s spokesperson, Cayla Murray, said the official position of the Western Cape government and the provincial Cabinet was that getting vaccinated was a choice.

“Our health experts encourage vaccination because it is highly effective in preventing hospitalisations and deaths, according to data analysed at our hospitals, and we particularly appeal to residents over 50 years old, who are at highest risk, to get this important protection,” said Murray.

Senior lecturer from the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University, Dr Jo Barnes, said the arguments against vaccination had gone through several “sideways” movements.

“One of the first arguments was that the vaccine is experimental, was created so fast, or was not properly tested and therefore not safe to take. After a while, the safety of the vaccines were clear for all to see, so that argument changed to the vaccine is not effective, or does not work.

“By now the safety of the vaccines has also been adequately demonstrated in practice, right here in South Africa, so once again the argument against vaccination changed. The argument now falls back on personal choice and/ or freedom of choice.

“All these superficial arguments simply provide the anti-vaccination group with an escape or a scientific-sounding reason for their opinion. But these reasons are simply smokescreens to justify their stance.

“It is therefore a waste of time to try and out-argue such an opinion,” she said.