Mashile dragged for ‘jumping’ Covid-19 vaccination queue

TV PRESENTER and poet Lebo Mashile, pictured, has been dragged for getting a Covid-19 vaccine this week, even though she is not a health-care worker.

According to government regulations around the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines in South Africa, only health-care workers are eligible for a vaccination.

Mashile found herself in hot water with social media users after she took to Twitter to document her experience of getting vaccinated.

Mashile started a Twitter thread by saying that she had been on an emotional roller-coaster leading up to going to the hospital.

“I woke up before dawn to head to Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto to get a vaccine, along with front-line healthcare workers,” she said. She went on to say that being vaccinated won’t make one immune to the virus, but will ensure they don’t end up in hospital.

While Mashile went on to detail her experience, many tweeps started asking how she was able to ‘jump’ the queue before other health-care workers and those over 60 years of age.

According to her, she qualifies because of her work with the African Alliance.

“For those asking how I qualified: I have been working with @Afri_Alliance on how to use social media to motivate people to get vaccinated.

“African Alliance is a health advocacy organisation and has been working for the past year to ensure marginalised people in SA get access to vaccines,” she tweeted.

Her explanation did not sit well with people, who continued to accuse her of jumping the queue. While people called her selfish for putting herself before other vulnerable citizens, Mashile said: “The definition of health-care workers has been expanded to include admin and support staff.” |