1) A rally against mandatory vaccinations is planned outside of Groote Schuur Hospital this weekend, which is disrespectful to health workers who risk their lives saving others and do not deserve harassment at work. 2) South Africa does not have a policy of mandatory vaccinations, and the rally organizers provide no details and previously promoted vaccines as "the devil's work". 3) Health workers have been on the frontlines of the pandemic and work long hours in difficult conditions, yet continue showing up every day to do life-saving work. They deserve respect, protection, and support.

1. Statement:
SolidaritystatementwithhealthworkersatGroote SchuurHospital
A misplacedanddisrespectful call toattenda “Freedomof Choice:NotoMandatory VaccinationRally”
at Groote Schuurthisweekendiscirculatingonsocial media.
It ismisplacedbecause SouthAfricadoesnothave amandatoryvaccine policy.
It isdisrespectfulbecause healthworkersrisktheirlivestosave ours,andthe leastwe can do is to
ensure theyare not harassedandantagonizedatwork.
It isrootedin a previousanti-maskanti-vaxx marchheldinCape Townrecently.The posterhasno
organisers’detailsandusesapicture froma march whichcalledthe vaccine “the devil’swork”.
Vaccinesare safe,effective andfree foreveryone inSouthAfrica.Gettingvaccinatedisasimple and
voluntarystepeveryadultcantake to preventhospitalsfrombeingoverburdenedbypatientswith
severe COVID-19.
The WHO, SAHPRA,SAMA,HPCSA,faithgroups,communityleaders,NGOs,andbusinessgroupsall
supportthe vaccine rollout.
Healthworkershave beenatthe forefrontof treatingpatientswithCOVID-19whocome to hospitals
fightingfortheirlives.Theyshouldbe respected,protectedandsupported.
The nurses,doctors,porters,foodworkers,labtechnicians,securityguards,cleaners,andadministrative
workersat Groote Schuur andelsewhereworkundertoughconditions:longhours,exposure toCOVID-
19, makingsure patients’lovedonesare updatedabouttheirconditions,seeingtheircolleaguesgetsick
and sometimespass away,andsadly,contactingfamiliestoletthemknow theirlovedoneshave passed
on.
Nevertheless,theyshow upeverydaytodotheirlife-savingwork.
Under currentGovernmentregulationsitisnotlegal tospreadmisinformationaboutCOVID-19.To
implythatmandatoryvaccinationispolicyinSouthAfricaisinaccurate.We all have the right to freedom
of speech,butthatrightis limitedbythe obligationtoensure we donotdoharm to othermembersof
our community.
Scaringpeople withuntruthsandfalse claimsdoesharmtothe COVID-19vaccine rollout.Itdestroysthe
morale of healthworkerswhobearthe bruntof the pain,exhaustionanddespairtheyencounterwhen

2. tryingto preventCOVID-19deaths.
We call on the national governmentnottoallow massmarchesand ralliesoutsidehealthfacilitiesif
designedtointimidate,asthismayundermine theirfunctioning.Thisso-calledgatheringcouldprotest
outside the WCgovernmentOfficesorsomewhere elsebutchoosesahospital atthe frontline thatis
not makinggovernmentpolicy.
We call on the publictoshowsolidaritywithhealthworkersandgetvaccinated.Thisdecreasestheir
burdenof work.In particular,we call on everyone toensure the eldersandpersonswithcomorbidities
inour communitiesgetvaccinated,astheyare mostat riskof severe disease anddyingfromCOVID-19.
We call on governmenttomake publicthe advice ithasreceivedonmandatoryvaccinationfromthe
MAC or any otheradvice onvaccinationto increase transparencyanddecrease uncertaintyaroundthis
issue.
Issuedby:
People’sHealthMovementSouthAfricaandHealthJustice Initiative
Spokesperson:Tinashe Njanji
Position&Organisation:Coordinator - People’sHealthMovementSouthAfrica(PHM-SA)
Contact number:081 571 5809
20 August2021