NTA: Govt must prioritise taxi industry in vaccine rollout

On Monday, Ramphosa briefed the nation and vowed to ramp up efforts to ensure the country receives enough doses of vaccine this year.

The first consignment will bring 1 million doses while a second consignment of 500 000 doses is expected next month from India’s Serum Institute.  

Government is targeting 67% of the population to achieve herd immunity and the approach will be a phased rollout of the vaccine.

The first phase targets frontline health care workers, while phase two will accommodate essential workers, the elderly and those over the age of 18 who have comorbidities.

NTA spokesperson Theo Malele says those working in the taxi industry should be seen as essential workers.

“The taxi industry transport 70% of the commuting public, which translates to more than 15 million commuters daily.

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“Therefore, it is a serious and fatal omission by the government and the National Coronavirus Command Council to exclude taxi drivers, queue marshals and other rank personnel from the critical groups that must be prioritised when the coronavirus vaccination is implemented.”

He says the NTA will write to Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize to consider the request.

“We will be dispatching a letter to the honourable Minister of Health for the attention of both the NCCC and the president, requesting them to reconsider this counterproductive and fatal omission.

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“The National Taxi Alliance will not stop at ensuring that all non-surgical protocols are followed at all times in an effort to stop the spread of the pandemic.”