Experts Suspicious Of Government’s R7.6 Billion Loan To ‘Boost Vaccination Programme’
Experts believe the government may be trying to compel mandatory vaccinations after the World Bank approved R7.6 billion to expand the vaccination program.
The World Bank approved a 454.4 million euro (R7.6 billion) loan for South Africa’s Covid-19 Emergency Response Project last week, according to National Treasury. The loan was made in response to the government’s request for assistance in financing procurement contracts.
According to the Treasury, the project will fund the purchase of 47 million vaccine doses retroactively. However, Nick Hudson, co-founder of Panda (Pandemic Data Analytics), stated that while the government lost the battle for mandatory vaccination, it may try to force it in the future.
Over the last two years, Panda has been vocal in its opposition to forced Covid-19 vaccines, masks, and lockdowns.
“We need to ensure that mandatory vaccination is a thing of the past in all settings, that the agencies that approve therapies of all sorts are set up independently of industry influence, and that all trials are conducted with proper oversight.
“The Pfizer Phase III trials were a joke. None of these injections should ever have been approved for emergency use, let alone mandated.
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“Note that Austria repealed its mandatory injections after a couple of months of failed effort.
“This thing will roll back, and there will be hell to pay for what has been done,” Hudson said.
According to Hudson, the only significance of the total number of infections is that the vast majority of the South African population has recovered from Covid and thus has broad and long-lasting immunity.
He went on to say that there was never a good reason to vaccinate them and that the government should prioritize the people’s well-being.
“The whole narrative of pandemic preparedness threatens all of us. Public health should prioritise nutrition, health, fitness and general well-being.
“That is the best defence against illnesses of all categories and would provide the best return on investment,” said Hudson.
According to Jeanne Boshoff, a spokesperson for the National Employers’ Association of South Africa (Neasa), there is no reason to continue the vaccination drive. She claims that the last vestiges of vaccine demand have vanished.
“Being fully vaccinated, according to the government’s definition, entails also having a booster shot, and only 5% of South Africans have received the booster shot. There is simply no way that the government, regardless of any attempt, will further convince South Africans, on any notable scale, to subject themselves to this medical and social experiment.”
She believes the R7.6 billion was paid for debt for vaccines that are no longer in demand, rather than for the so-called vaccine drive.
“This is another example of irresponsible, wasteful expenditure, which creates a further financial burden that hard-working South Africans will have to pay for.
“Neasa believes that accepting a loan for a dead-end drive will be a further nail in our economy’s coffin,” said Boshoff.
Bishop Marothi Mashashane, who has also taken the government to court over mandatory vaccination, said the loan was part of the government’s effort to reduce debt service costs by using less expensive funding sources in response to the pandemic.
“This government is failing to grow the economy and yet taking loans which will worsen the country’s emboldened fiscus and everyone is going to pay the price though not everyone will directly benefit from the same loan. We have enough vaccines that are even expiring, with people not willing to take a jab,” he said.
However, because there is no longer a pandemic, the government should redirect the funds to address poverty and hunger in the country.
