Job Mokgoro, suspended NW Premier, to brief public on vaccine rollout

North West Premier, Job Mokgoro, and provincial health MEC, Madoda Sambatha are on Monday morning, 1 February, briefing the people of the province on the logistics of their vaccine roll-out plan.

The briefing comes a day after the African National Congress (ANC) interim provincial committee in the province announced the Premier and four other legislature members’ immediate albeit temporary suspension from the party regarding the election of the chair of chairs in the legislature.

NORTH WEST PREMIER DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF SUSPENSION

The interim provincial committee allege Job Mokgoro and company defied the party’s mandate by voting with the opposition in the province regarding the position. Mokgoro told ENCA on Sunday evening that he has not received any communication regarding his alleged suspension and was only made aware of the situation via the media.

MOKGORO REMAINS COMMITTED TO CARRYING OUT HIS DUTIES

He went on to reiterate his commitment to carrying out his duties as Premier in the midst of the political drama and stated that he is answerable to “Luthuli House”. The ANC in the North West’s interim provincial committee have said they will monitor Job Mokgoro’s decisions moving forward and will intervene on major decisions made to ensure he does comply with the party mandate.

A NOT SO ROSY TENURE AS NORTH WEST PREMIER

Job Mokgoro’s tenure as Premier has not been smooth sailing whatsoever. In 2019 a public spat between his office and the Ditsobotla Municipal Council which includes Lichtenburg and Coligny over the deployment of the then administrator played out in the public.

Ditsobotla councillors reportedly wanted the administrator to be withdrawn at the time of the ugly spat, citing non-performance as their primary reason.

The council alleged the administrator had done nothing at the time to try and shave off the municipality’s near R 500 million Eskom bill at that stage in 2019. This was but one example of the times that Mokgoro had found himself on the wrong side of local government.

Despite, those challenges the Premier has led the recovery of the province which was placed in its entirety under national care amidst violent service delivery protest action in 2018 with residents demanding that the then Premier, Supra Mahumapelo must step down.

NORTH WEST COVID-19 BRIEFING KICKS OFF AT 09:30

Despite the factionalism that appears to be gripping politics in the province, the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out briefing will go ahead as planned at the Provincial Disaster Management Centre in Mahikeng. It kicks off at 09:30 am.

The briefing comes as the country is set to receive its first bath of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines this morning at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

The South African reported that the shipment containing the over 1 million shots left Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on Sunday and will go through Dubai before finally touching down at OR Tambo International Airport.

An additional 500 000 COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines will only be expected later in February. The does will not be administered immediately after their arrival, they will first have to undergo a mandated quarantine period, as well as quality assurance checks.

South Africa’s estimated 1.25 million healthcare workers will receive the COVID-19 jabs first. In addition, the country reached an agreement with the COVAX Facility to secure vaccines to immunise 10% of the population.

Phase 1 will focus on the country’s healthcare workers, while Phase 2 will focus on essential workers, persons in congregate settings, persons over the age of 60 and persons with co-morbidities who are over the age of 18. Phase 3 will target approximately 22 500 000 South Africans and will be administered to persons older than 18 years of age.