THE Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has condemned the damage and vandalism caused to schools in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) during the recent pro-Zuma violent protests.

 “It is shocking that the cost of damages and vandalism to schools is estimated at over R141 million. This is money that was not budgeted for. Money that government does not have and money that could have been spent on other much-needed projects,” said
committee chairperson, Ms Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba.
 
“As public representatives we need to have serious discussions in our constituencies that members of the public cannot be targeting much-needed infrastructure, especially schools, when they vent their frustrations for whatever reason. We cannot be comfortable with the current situation. Schools always end up being soft targets during protests and it is the poorest of the poor learners that suffer.”
 
On Tuesday, the committee received updates from the national Department of Basic Education (DBE), the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department and the Gauteng Education Department on the damages during the unrest, as well as the readiness to reopen schools for the third term on Monday.
 
DBE told the meeting that protests and looting affecting 137 schools and offices in KwaZulu-Natal – one school in Pinetown burnt to the ground.

Gauteng Province has four schools affected but fortunately there were no major structural damages. According to the department, it was still in the process of repairing more than 1 700 schools damaged during the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020.
 
The committee heard that some of the damages during the latest protests include electric wiring, admin blocks, doors, roofs, ceilings, ablution facilities and sanitary fittings.

Looting also occurred during the protests and stolen property include electrical equipment, including laptops, computers, projectors, LTSM screeners, sound systems, routers, furniture (mostly tables), wires, transformer tables, lights and garden equipment.

Kitchen resources and equipment like stoves, fridges, microwaves, eating utensils, school nutrition programme equipment and food items and Covid-19 essentials like sanitisers, soap, and masks were also stolen.
 
The committee expressed its concern that food and equipment were also looted that are used to feed learners as part of the National School Nutrient Programme.

“The programme serves to cater for the most vulnerable learners in our schools. For many of them, this is the only meals they received. How can responsible communities take the food out of the mouths of the very vulnerable young ones that we are trying to make a difference to,” asked Mbinqo-Gigaba.
 
The DBE assured the committee that many of the items have either been replaced or are in the process of being replaced.

The committee resolved to undertake an urgent oversight visit to both provinces in order to establish first-hand the damages to school property.
 

Inside Education

GAUTENG Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi on Sunday announced the launch of online applications for grades 1 and 8 for the 2022 academic year.

The online application process has not been without its challenges, with the department having to attend to numerous technical glitches since its introduction in 2015.

However, Lesufi said this year, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has introduced new changes aimed at making the process easier and more manageable for parents, guardians, and public schools in Gauteng.  

“The applications for Grade 1 and 8 will take place in two phases. The first phase is for Grade 7 learners currently in public primary schools applying for Grade 8 and the second phase for Grade 1 and 8 learners not in Grade 7 in public schools,” said Lesufi.

The department further said the first phase will open on 10 August 2021 at 08h00 and close on 3 September 2021 at 00h00.

The second phase will commence on 13 September at 08h00 and close on 8 October at 00h00.

The placement of phase 1 will happen between 15 October and 30 November while phase 2 will be between November 15 and November 30.

“To ensure access to applicants who are unable to apply from the comfort of their homes and or offices, the department has identified 47 decentralised walk-in centres in different areas where applicants will be safely assisted. In addition, some District Offices and the Head Office will serve as walk-in centres,” the department said in a statement.

Lesufi added that this information will be made available to the public via the GDE Website and social media platforms.

“When a parent or guardian applies to a school for their child, it is critical to remember that the following criteria is considered in order of priority of the following: home address within the school’s feeder zone, sibling and or previous schools, work address within school’s feeder zone and home address which is within 30km radius,” said Lesufi.

“Parents will receive SMSes notifying them about the outcome of their application between 15 October and 30 November 2021. The parent must accept an offer to confirm placement.”

 The following guidelines are important:
· Before parents or guardians apply, they must provide accurate
parent and learner details to schools where their children are
currently in Grade 7;
· From Monday, 2 August 2021 – 6 August 2021, primary schools
will verify and update parents or guardians’ details including the
cell-phone number, Identity Document number and home
address;
· It is important that parents provide ONE reliable c ell-phone
number so that they can receive important SMS notifications
regarding the application process. This process is very important
because from 10 August 2021, an SMS notification with a LINK
will be sent to parents to complete the 5 Step Application Process;
· The parent/guardian will be required to verify the cell-phone
number on the system before starting the 5-step application
process which consist of verification of parent or guardian details,
home address details; learner details, application to a maximum
of five schools and uploading documents to system or submitting
documents at schools;
· In Phase two, parents and guardians will also complete the 5 Step
Application Process without prior verification of details. Parents
will also need to upload or submit certified copies of supporting
documents to schools they applied to within 7 days;
· The documents required for grade 1 and 8 applications are:
Parent and Child ID or Passport; Refugee Permit; Asylum Seeker
Permit; Permanent Residence Permit; Study Permit; South
African Birth Certificate; Proof of Home Address; Proof of W ork
Address; Latest School Report and Clinic Card/Vaccination
Report (Grade 1 only);
· If a parent uses a cell-phone number that differs from the one
provided to the school the system will prompt the parent to contact
the school to correct the number;
· Every step of the application process will be confirmed via SMS
for security and verification purposes;
· Parents who apply to Schools of Specialisation must ensure that
they contact the school to arrange for the auditions or admission
tests.

Inside Education

SADTU says the Department of Basic Education has failed to address several problems and challenges affecting education in South Africa before the reopening of primary schools on Monday.

These included overcrowding, lack of protective personal equipment (PPE), shortage of masks, mobile classes and the lack of water supply and sanitation.  

The union’s secretary general Mugwena Maluleke said that the majority of schools were still without water supply on Monday in several rural provinces, another obstacle to readiness of schools.  

“The majority of schools were unable to comply with Covid-19 regulations, including social distancing. The reopening of schools did not go as planned. We made submissions to the DBE to first allow some provinces to deal with the 1 metre social distancing before reopening. They didn’t agree,” said Maluleke.

“We are very depressed by the situation. We saw shocking things in Gauteng and Mpumalanga where learners had to be sent back because the schools couldn’t comply with COVID regulations. There is also lack of masks at some schools and lack of water supply in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape. We are extremely disappointed.”

The teachers’ union said that it was ‘extremely’ disappointed that the DBE went ahead to reopen while the majority of schools did not receive PPEs.

“In fact, the Department has not delivered even a single PPE to schools,” said Sadtu. 

The union also said the reopening for the third term took place with teachers, learners and parents having had a lot of uncertainties informed by the incidences of the past two weeks in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, which could not leave out schools. 

About 137 schools were reported as having been vandalised, some had break-ins while others suffered arson damages in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Close to 60 schools in Gauteng are not ready to welcome the full capacity return of primary school pupils today because they lack water supply, have insufficient space for social distancing and are plagued by electricity outages. 

The most hardest-hit areas include Orange Farm and Lawley in the south and Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg where erratic water supply is an ever-present challenge.

SADTU in KwaZulu-Natal said many schools were not ready for all learners because the Department of Basic Education did not provide more space to accommodate learners.

“This call is informed by the fact that learners are still required to practice social distancing of 1-1.5m at all times in and out of the classroom,” said SADTU KZN.

“The call from members in schools is that for this to happen the Department must provide mobile classes otherwise majority of schools will not be ready. Zululand, Umkhanyakude and King Cetshwayo districts have majority of schools without water supply – another obstacle to readiness of schools.”

SADTU KZN said it was also concerned that the replacement of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) equipment stolen from schools during the recent break-ins has not been addresses.

This has resulted in learners in these affected schools not getting the meal they usually get from school.

“Failure to feed learners in schools compromises their concentration in class and may lead to poor performance by learners,” said SADTU KZN.

“It is therefore important for the Department to address these issues.”

Kwazulu-Natal Sadtu secretary, Nomarashiya Caluza, said that their situational analysis suggested there was no capacity at most schools in the province to ensure the safe return of all primary school pupils amid COVID-19.

“With the information we have, unless the department does some things differently and drastically, the majority of primary schools are not ready to welcome back all learners,” she said.

Meanwhile, DBE announced on Monday that Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga was expected to visit Monde primary school in Ekurhuleni on Tuesday to monitor the return of all primary school learners, from Grade R-7, at full capacity.

This will be done in terms of the risk adjusted differentiated strategy, said DBE.

“The return of primary school learners will enable both teachers and learners to recover learning and teaching time that was lost due to the recently extended school break,” the department said in a statement.

“The return of learners at primary school level comes on the back of a successful vaccination programme for the basic education sector with more than 517,000 personnel having received their vaccines.”

Inside Education

NICOLA DEGHAYE

IN many countries, including South Africa, there is stark economic inequality between adults with disabilities and those without. One key to reducing these disparities is improving access to education for children with disabilities or difficulties.

South Africa developed a White Paper on Inclusive Education in 2001, recognising disability as a factor that hinders learning and participation in schools.

This policy emphasises that learners with disabilities or difficulties should be provided with the support they need, in their local school, wherever possible.

This is in stark contrast to the situation before 2001 where additional support was only available in a vastly inadequate number of special schools. Inclusive education focuses on removing barriers to participation for children. It does this by addressing physical environments, teaching practices and attitudes of teachers or peers, among other strategies.

Despite the publication of the 2001 White Paper and other inclusive education policies, implementation has been slow. By 2017, disability was still the main reason children aged between 7 and 15 were not attending school.

Until recently, the readiness of local schools to provide additional support to learners with disabilities or learning difficulties was seldom assessed in large-scale school surveys. This has hindered accountability.

The Department of Basic Education began to remedy this situation by expanding the 2017 School Monitoring Survey, a nationally representative survey of 2,000 schools. It monitors many aspects of school functioning. The expansion allowed it to take a closer look at implementation of inclusive education.

I used data from this survey to assess the availability of disability support structures, physical accessibility of schools and the adequacy of teacher training for disability inclusion in mainstream schools in South Africa.

I assessed the variation in these factors between schools in wealthier and poorer areas and from different provinces.

My study found that teachers are inadequately trained to adapt curricula and teaching methods to include learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. Ordinary schools receive little external support from districts and specialists such as psychologists, social workers and therapists. There’s still a long way to go to achieve the policy ideals set out in the 2001 White Paper. The policy is currently undergoing a long overdue review.

Can mainstream schools give extra support?

From 2001 onwards, school and district-based support teams, resource centres and outreach teams were meant to be introduced to support inclusive education in practice. Districts are meant to provide training and curriculum support to school-based teams. They’re also supposed to assist schools to identify, assess and address barriers to learning. My study found that two-thirds of schools had established school-based support teams by 2017 (up from 54% in 2011) and 65% of these school-based support teams were supported by the district in 2017.

The number of South African schools with wheelchair accessible toilets almost doubled from 2011 to 2017. But more than 50% of schools report being unable to screen learners for visual, hearing or learning difficulties. This implies that many students who may have these difficulties are unlikely to be identified and aren’t receiving the support they need to participate fully in schooling.

Inadequate teacher training

I found that while 74% of teachers in the sample had some training in identifying learning barriers or supporting learners with learning difficulties, only 57% had covered the critical topic of curriculum differentiation. Only 43% had been trained on setting assessments that accommodate learning barriers.

Teachers generally showed poor understanding of the screening process. These results show that additional teacher training is needed to deliver inclusive education effectively.

My study also found vast inter-provincial inequalities in disability support and teacher training.

Schools in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Limpopo were the least likely to have at least one suitably trained teacher. Gauteng, the Free State and the Western Cape had high levels of training coverage.

On a positive note, teachers in schools in poorer areas were just as likely as those in wealthier areas to have received some training.

Importantly, I found that teachers who have been trained in inclusive education were much more likely to be confident in addressing learning barriers.

Increased depth of teacher training, the creation of school-based support teams in every school and greater levels of district support in lagging provinces will help increase teacher confidence in those provinces.

It’s especially important that specialist support to schools is made available in every district. Effective, realistic strategies to deliver such support must be included in the updated White Paper.

If not, a disabled child’s access to effective education will continue to be a lottery determined by the province in which they happen to live.

(Nicola Deghaye, PhD candidate in Economics, Stellenbosch University)

The Conversation

THE impact of disrupted education since the COVID-19 outbreak has been devastating, with learners between 75 per cent and a full school year behind where they should be, according to latest statistics. Rotational attendance, sporadic school closures and days off for specific grades, have resulted in school children losing 54 per cent of learning time.

Some 400,000 to 500,000 learners have reportedly also dropped out of school altogether over the past 16-months.

This is most likely for children living in informal urban and rural settings, with household poverty also playing a critical role. The total number of out of school children is now up to 750,000.

“The reality is that South Africa cannot afford to lose another learner or another hour of learning time,” said Christine Muhigana, UNICEF South Africa Representative. “It is urgent that we get every child back into the classroom, safely, now,” Muhigana added.

Being out of school not only leads to learning loss but mental distress, exposure to violence and abuse, missed school-based meals and reduced development of social skills. In the longer-term, the skills needed to transition into working lives will be affected.

Evidence also shows that when children are out of school, women are twice as likely to take on childcare responsibilities, affecting their ability to work or search for work. 

The switch to blended learning, following the COVID-19 outbreak, was quick and included rotational classes, as well as access to online, radio and TV educational resources.

“Remote learning has been a lifeline for some children but for the most vulnerable in South Africa, even this was out of reach,” said Muhigana. Access to the devices, data and skills necessary to navigate online resources are simply not possible for many children. “We need to ensure that we prioritize vulnerable girls and boys in all our efforts to keep children in classrooms,” added Muhigana.

The education system can’t afford any further shocks, such as the recent unrest which resulted in more than 140 schools being vandalized in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. This comes on the back of the more than 2,000 schools that were looted and damaged during the hard COVID-19 lockdown last year.

“The twin burden of COVID-19 and recent disruptions equally affects teachers, supporting and improving their well-being should be a priority,” said Muhigana. “We are glad that the Department of Basic Education is hosting the first ever ‘Teacher Wellness Seminar’ and UNICEF is committed to provide its full support to the education sector,” she added.

To keep every child in class, UNICEF is lending its support to the Department of Basic Education and partners in the ongoing efforts to:

Promote community dialogues that engage parents, caregivers, and community leaders in school life, to increase their ownership over local schools, which in-turn can help ensure their protection.Maintain adherence to the child-friendly COVID-19 standard operating procedures and protocols to keep children, teachers, and educational staff as safe as possible.Cover the last mile in further increasing COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the education sector.Continue improving access to handwashing facilities and hygiene promotion activities for all children. UNICEF and its partners will build on work that has already seen 400 handwashing stations installed in targeted schools that lack decent facilities.Promote and scale-up effective remedial programmes to help students get back on track.Improve access to psychosocial support for children and educational staff to cope with the ongoing stress of COVID-19 and the recent unrest.

UNICEF calls on all stakeholders to ‘Reimagine Education’ to help regain the ground lost, by taking advantage of emerging technologies to accelerate education service delivery, while focusing on equity and broader partnerships for greater impact.

UNICEF

THE case for eradication of pit-toilets at schools in Limpopo will be heard on Friday 6 August 2021 before Judge Muller in the High Court of South Africa in Polokwane, six years after the matter was first instituted.

The hearing, initially set to be heard on Monday, 24 May 2021, was postponed after the Judge President of the High Court indicated that the date had not been confirmed by all parties.

The matter is now set to be heard in court on Friday.

Advocacy group, Section27, instituted legal proceedings against the Limpopo Department of Education and the Department of Basic Education, for safe and proper sanitation in schools in Limpopo in 2015.

“The poor condition of toilets in schools in Limpopo continue to pose an imminent threat to the lives, health and dignity of learners. These unsafe pit-toilets are responsible for the injury and death of learners,” said Section27 spokesperson, Julia Chaskalson.

Section27 took up the issue after tragic deaths of two children in the province – Lister Magongwa and Michael Komape.

In 2013, seven-year-old Lister died when the walls of the pit toilet collapsed on him at the Mmushi Primary School in Limpopo.

A year later, five-year-old Michael Komape was killed when he slipped and drowned in a pit toilet at his school.

In 2018, the High Court handed down a structural order in the Rosina Komape and Others v. Department of Basic Education and Others case, instructing the LDOE to address the need for safe toilets in schools by submitting a plan for the eradication of pit toilets, as well as an audit indicating the sanitation needs throughout schools in the province.

“However, the plan that the LDOE provided is unreasonable and unconstitutional, suggesting that the department will abolish pit-toilets by the end of 2030,” said Chaskalson.   

This will contribute to the continuation of violations to learners’ rights to basic education, equality, dignity and an environment that is not harmful to their health or wellbeing. We are going back to court to seek an order for the LDOE to submit a new and consolidated plan that deals with poor sanitation in schools on an urgent basis.”

Inside Education

LAURA SOLLARS|

DESPITE showing classic symptoms as a child and young adult, I was only diagnosed with dyspraxia in my 30s.

Awareness has grown to the point where I could receive a diagnosis, but it is still a condition misunderstood by society at large. Although thankfully, understanding within the educational community has improved.

Even so, there is still much teachers can learn about this condition and how to make adaptations for pupils with this condition.

These are my top tips for supporting students with dyspraxia in the classroom:

1. Understand – but don’t assume 

Dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD and ASD all share similar traits which make people “neurodiverse”. Just as it is not good enough to assume someone with dyslexia simply has trouble reading, a student with dyspraxia should not be dismissed as “not good at PE”. In my career, I have heard both used. 

People with neurodiversity can display problems with memory, organisation, time management, sequencing, poor listening skills and speech which can often lead to frustration, anxiety and depression when not supported properly. All of these things combined can make school an overwhelming and difficult experience for those who are neurodiverse.

We should never assume because a student is high attaining that they are not finding things hard – people with processing difficulties have to work 10 times harder to make sense of the world. 

Being dyspraxic does not affect someone’s intelligence. In fact, those who are neurodiverse can be incredibly intelligent and creative.  

2. Keep teacher talk to a minimum

Listening and processing information is a difficulty associated with dyspraxia.

I once described listening to long pieces of information as if it was in French – my brain is slowly trying to translate what you are saying while at the same time keeping up with the next bit of information. After about 20 minutes somebody with processing difficulties will reach saturation point where their brain cannot keep this up and will switch off. 

Even as an adult I frequently doodle while I am listening because it is a way of being able to process what I am hearing. Providing some students with space to do this (doodle books, scrap paper etc) can help to organise thoughts. 

Students may look off-task but actually this will help them to process the information they have been given.  

3. Keep tasks short and simple

Students are frequently presented with information overload in the classroom – PowerPoint presentations and worksheets in particular can be too busy.

Although visuals are a great idea to support information on the whiteboard, too many visuals, like lots of colours and texts can be overwhelming. Keep things simple and keep tasks short and sharp – regular tasks should not take more than 10-15 minutes.

Giving students printouts and handouts are a good idea too – they can then refer back to them throughout the lesson. 

And remember: keeping lesson delivery simple does not mean the lesson itself isn’t challenging and having an impact. 

4. Repeating instructions

People with dyspraxia tend to have poor short-term memories so it is really important instructions are repeated regularly and you ensure students are on the right path to any task or goal they have been set. 

Make sure examples and instructions are visual: for example, on a board or on paper and that they are clear and well scaffolded. 

5. Questioning

Often as teachers we ask a question in a classroom, we get an answer and move on.

But for students who have processing difficulties, they may still be thinking of the answer while you have moved on and then may not have the opportunity to contribute. Therefore, try to give time to allow students to think through your question rather than choosing hands that shoot straight up. 

Students with processing difficulties may also often come out with answers you may not even have thought of which can serve as a great discussion point or avenue for further learning ideas.

6. Have patience

It can be frustrating when a student is constantly losing things, spends ages getting changed from PE or is slow at getting packed up at the end of the lesson. 

But for those with dyspraxia navigating a school building can be hard work, especially having to pack and unpack their bags multiple times a day and remembering to take everything they need. 

Please be patient with them. 

Laura Sollars is head of humanities at a secondary school in England.SOURCE: Tes.com

THE basic education department has gazetted new regulations ahead of the return of full-time classes on Monday.

While all government schools reopened on 26 July as part of the country’s move to an adjusted level 3 lockdown, the basic education department also instructed primary schools (Grades R – 7) to prepare for the return of full-time teaching.

The gazette states that primary schools must return to the traditional and daily attendance timetabling model from 2 August 2021, provided that a ‘risk-adjusted differentiated strategy’ is followed.

“A risk-adjusted differentiated strategy means an approach to school attendance that is determined by the level of reported Covid-19 infections in the school, and Covid-19 infections in the district, municipality, and country,” it said.

The department has also reduced the social distancing measure in primary schools from 1.5 metres to one metre, to accommodate schools with more students and less space.

All returning students must also ensure strict compliance with social distancing measures and minimum health protocols, which include the wearing of face masks, the washing of hands and the use of hand sanitisers.

Schools that are unable to comply with the directions and cannot resume full-time teaching can apply for an exemption with the department.

Sports

Subject to existing Covid-19 regulations, contact sport, non-contact sport, training, matches, and all arts and cultural activities may resume without any spectators at all schools.

The department clarified that includes both inter and intra-school activities.

National, provincial, district championships and tournaments that require learners to travel to other schools or provinces may also resume with strict adherence to prescribed transport regulations and directions.

The following safety measures must be adhered to when resuming the activities:

The number of persons in venues where the activities take place, change rooms or training areas, at any given time, must not be more than 50% of the capacity of the venue with persons observing the social distancing requirements;For outdoor activities, the total number of persons, including participants, officials and other personnel must not exceed 100 and for indoor activities, the number of persons must not exceed 50;Face masks must be worn by all persons entering the venues where the activities take place, change rooms or training areas, except when participating in training or matches;There must be sufficient quantities of hand sanitisers, with at least 70% alcohol content, available for use by all officials, coaches, assistants, learners and participants;There must be facilities for washing of hands with soap and water;All windows and doors must remain open, where feasible, to ensure adequate ventilation;Social distancing must be maintained at all times;The sharing of drinks and drink containers is not allowed;The school or venue hosting the events or activities must ensure that venues, tools and equipment are cleaned and sanitized before and after any activities.Business Tech

WITH the rise of new technology, STEM education has become more and more important across the world.

From health care to food production, it has become clear that our children need to learn more about these subjects to be able to tackle tomorrow’s issues.

But what is STEM education and why is it so important in 2021? We’ll take a look at this article.

What is STEM?

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, four subjects that we encounter pretty much every day. From the roads, we drive on or the tablet we watch our favorite shows on, we are surrounded by technology and STEM education gives us the tools to understand how things behave and work.

Why is it important?

– STEM jobs are the future.

According to a study from the US Bureau of Labor, employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow 8.8% by 2028. But to be able to fulfill these new jobs, it has become urgent to educate children about STEM subjects across the globe. In fact, according to the United Nations World Population Prospects, over 60% of Africa’s population is currently under 25, the continent definitely has a great potential to improve its economy by producing a generation of young mathematicians and engineers.

Many big companies and corporations have been helping this growth by offering resources and donations, for example, the tech company OKdo has donated 5,000 micro:bit mini computers to young people in Ghana and Kenya.

– It closes the gender gap

According to different studies from UNESCO, just 28% of the tech workforce are women in this sector worldwide and just 30% in Sub-Saharan Africa and it all comes down to a lack of opportunities and education. We need to make STEM subjects more available and approachable to girls. However, it looks like the gap is slowly starting to improve as more STEM opportunities are opening up for girls across the globe.

– It teaches children critical thinking

STEM subjects are not only great for children wanting to go into a STEM job but it’s also a great tool that will help them succeed in any job. In fact, STEM subjects have been proven to improve critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and logical thought process. These qualities matter in any job and career that one wishes to pursue. Overall, STEM education provides a foundation of skills to help children understand the world around them.

African Exponent

CYRIL RAMAPHOSA|

LAST week, I had a chance to meet some of the heroes on the frontline of our fight against COVID-19 when I visited two vaccination sites in Tembisa and Midrand.

These heroes include the health workers administering the vaccines and the many South Africans who are coming forward to be vaccinated and thereby safeguard the health of the nation.
 
The number of vaccinations administered in South Africa has now passed the 7.5 million mark. Around three million people are fully vaccinated. At the present rate, we are vaccinating on average 220,000 people a day. In the coming weeks, this rate will increase significantly due to the arrival of more vaccine doses.
 
Nearly 1.5 million single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been handed to the Department of Health in the last couple of days. Over the past weekend, a donation of 5.66 million Pfizer vaccines from the USA government began arriving in the country. This is part of a donation of vaccines from the United States to African countries and low- and middle-income countries in other parts of the world.
 
Our country is also making history. The first COVID-19 vaccines produced in Africa, for Africa, were released by Aspen Pharmacare from its flagship manufacturing plant in Gqeberha last week. These vaccines will be made available to the rest of the continent through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team, which we set up during our tenure as African Union chair.
 
Thanks to the efforts of all involved in the multisectoral vaccine acquisition response, we now have a comfortable supply of stocks to vaccinate our population.
 
The two vaccination sites I visited are among an estimated 3,000 vaccination sites we have set up in the country. These sites are currently providing vaccines to any person above the age of 35, healthcare workers, and employees in participating workplaces.
 
To meet demand, several sites around the country are now operating on weekends, and many innovations – like vaccination drive-throughs and mobile vaccination units – are in operation.
 
One of the two vaccination sites I visited is run by the private sector in partnership with government and the other is run by the government, yet both facilities had similar levels of excellent service and professionalism.
 
Our private sector, including medical schemes, has worked alongside government from the onset of the pandemic, helping to mobilise resources and, most recently, helping us meet our national vaccination targets.
 
At the Rabasotho Community Centre in Tembisa, I saw government’s Batho Pele principles in action.
 
The process was efficient and streamlined: from the COVID-19 Vaccination Card people are issued with to help them keep track of their doses, to data-capturing stations, to observation stations with doctors on standby for those who have just received their jab. Importantly, the site has an information area where those presenting for vaccination are given clear information in their own language on the different vaccine options available.
 
We spoke with Mama Rosemary Mabaso, 67, who had come for her second dose. She said that the staff at the centre had treated her with the utmost care and courtesy and helped allay her initial fears of getting vaccinated.
 
I am encouraged that so many South Africans accept the need to be vaccinated. The latest National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (CRAM) found that there is increased public openness to accepting a COVID-19 vaccine. Only 1 in 10 South Africans believe that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe.
 
The Mathebulas, a couple from Tembisa who had come to the centre together to get vaccinated, told us that they were initially hesitant ‘because of negative stories going around,’ but had decided to follow government’s advice to get vaccinated.
 
Such expressions of confidence are greatly encouraging, as are the words of Mama Mabasa, who said: “I want to tell everyone out there is no need to be scared; this vaccine is safe, and it is helping us.”
 
Indeed, vaccines are safe. They are our best protection against this disease and the national vaccination programme is our surest guarantee of a swift health and economic recovery.
 
I want to encourage South Africans to continue to follow the guidance of the World Health Organisation and our Department of Health around COVID-19 vaccines. We need to avoid spreading misleading and false information that can cause confusion.
 
As we work to vaccinate as many people as possible by end of the year, we salute the officials, healthcare workers and staff of the vaccination centres who are working tirelessly to support the national effort.
 
But by far, the greatest heroes are the South African people, of whose resilience and steadfastness I remain in awe.
 
Over a year and a half, we have experienced a deadly pandemic, severe economic and social hardship, and recently, serious unrest wrought by those who want to see our country fail.
 
By going out and getting vaccinated, we aren’t just protecting ourselves. We are performing a patriotic duty to our country and our fellow citizens.
 
In this great race to preserve human life, let us continue to work together in the interests of the health and welfare of our nation. In this way, we will ensure that recovery is certain.

From the desk of the President