Johannesburg - Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has taken to Twitter to defend himself against claims that the government missed a required payment to join the Covax vaccine scheme.
On Friday, DA leader John Steenhuisen accused the government of botching the acquisition of a life-saving vaccine and said that its tardiness was jeopardising the country’s access to the drugs.
”I told these DA chaps that they must first inform themselves before opening their loud mouths about things they know nothing about.
“They are just tjatjarag,” Mboweni tweeted on Friday night.
He said he would ask EFF leader Julius Malema to deal with the DA.
I told these DA chaps that they must first inform themselves before opening their loud mouths about things they know nothing about.They are just tjatjarag! I will ask @Julius_S_Malema to deal with them.We are on track with the vaccine consortium.I don't the need the DA nonsense!
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) December 18, 2020
Mboweni continued: “We are on track with the vaccine consortium.
“I don’t need the DA nonsense.”
He went on to say that the matter should be dealt with in a civilised manner.
Ok. Let us be civilized about this. There are processes and procedures about the vaccine issues. Minister Zweli Mkhize and myself have dealt with the issues. He is the line Minister on this and he has dealt with the admin issues. Nothing more to be said. DA va tamba!
— Tito Mboweni (@tito_mboweni) December 18, 2020
”There are processes and procedures about the vaccine issues.
“(Health) Minister Zweli Mkhize and myself have dealt with the issues.
“He is the line minister on this and he has dealt with the admin issues. Nothing more to be said.
“DA va tamba (is farting)!” Mboweni tweeted to his nearly one million followers.
Mkhize on Friday night blamed administrative issues and that the money would be paid in the next two or three days.
The Solidarity Fund, which is expected to pay the deposit of more than R327 million for the vaccine for 10% of the country’s population, has undertaken to make the payment once given the green light by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations, which launched Covax, a global alliance to ensure access to Covid-19 vaccines regardless of the wealth of a country.
The country will need to pay R2.2 billion to secure the vaccine.
Political Bureau