Ramaphosa promises to crack down on corruption, speed up vaccine rollout, grow economy

Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured the country he would ramp up the economy, speed up the mass vaccine rollout and crack down on corruption.

Despite opposition parties calling for action against Health Minister Zweli Mkhize the president was quiet on the matter in his reply in the Budget vote debate after he earlier said he would wait for investigations to be finalised before he acts.

But he said the economic indicators have pointed to an improving economy after the devastation caused by Covid-19.

He said the rand has shown resilience and performed well in the last few weeks.

“In the State of the Nation Address in February, I compared our nation to the fynbos of the Cape, which emerges from the most intense flames even stronger than before,” said Ramaphosa.

He said they have now lifted the posts in the health sector with 28 000 positions and critical posts in the provinces filled.

He said the rate of growth will be determined by the pace of the rollout of the vaccine.

“As the deputy president said yesterday we are on track. We have secured sufficient vaccine doses for the entire adult population of 41 million and the rollout is gathering pace. We are now at above 70 000 vaccinations a day and will soon surpass 100 000 a day,” said Ramaphosa.

He said the vaccination programme would gather momentum.

The government wants to vaccinate 67% of the population by the end of the year.

He said they were also cracking down on corruption and the Special Investigating Unit had tabled its report to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

Political Bureau