The ANC has expressed concern about a possible shutdown of the economy as Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the country.
This was revealed by ANC head of organising Nomvula Mokonyane, who was outlining the party’s plans for its 109th birthday celebrations scheduled for Friday.
The ANC national executive committee had met on Wednesday, when it finalised the January 8 statement to be delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, and also discussed the state of the economy and the pandemic.
Mokonyane said a full Covid-19 presentation on behalf of government deployees had been made by Heath Minister Zweli Mkhize and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
“That discussion went into detail around the vaccine and the critical role-players that we need to see playing their part; hence today there is an alliance political council meeting,” Mokonyane said.
Mokonyane said the ANC was in support of interventions implemented by the government as part of combating the spread of the pandemic and reviving the economy.
“One of the things that was raised is that we all have to give the necessary support in creating an environment that does not lead to a total shutdown of the economy, meaning that we cannot drive the country into a total shutdown. Unless otherwise we are quite certain that we have created alternatives to what currently exists,” she said.
Mokonyane said the party had called on government and research institutions to take the lead in communicating the impact and benefits of vaccines as part of combating ongoing disinformation in SA and across the world around the Covid-19 pandemic.
“They are better placed to rebut all these issues. We also need to simplify and make sure that our own communication makes our people to be much more understanding,” she said.
Some leaders within the ANC have come under scrutiny after they questioned the safety of rolling out vaccines to South Africans.
But Mokonyane said the party’s leadership had met and agreed that the party had to have one message , which was supported by experts.
“We must make sure that on one side it is the people, the government and those who have the ability and the resources to help us deal with these issues, and the pandemic on the other side. Hence these consultations with the scientists and the ministerial advisory committees and the social cluster, which is working with community organisations to deal with the myths and distortions,” she said.
Political Bureau