Despite the doom and gloom, the 2021 budget speech did trump up some form of relief. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni confirmed that R10 billion has been set aside to fund South Africa’s Covid-19 vaccine drive.
2021 budget speech: Tito Mboweni laments on SA’s poor fiscus
The minister’s speech was, for the most part, a frank admission that the culmination of a pandemic the world was never ready for, maladministration from past Cabinets and decades of corruption has forced the government on its knees.
Right now, the reality is, South Africa is at the mercy of its creditors and more than R500 billion needs to be borrowed for the next few medium-term fiscal periods to avert a total collapse of the economy.
Foreign investors and trust funds will comply with the state’s pleading hand but at what cost, cynical observers may ask.
Covid-19 vaccine drive gets R10 billion boost
However, considering the scope of South Africa’s woes — notwithstanding the fact that our government recorded the largest tax shortfall in history — the latter is the least of our problems.
SA is in the midst of a pandemic that could worsen our future if nothing is done about it. Here’s where Mboweni swooped in with the good news.
National Treasury, he announced, has set aside R10 billion for the complete financing of the Covid-19 vaccine drive. Already, more than 30 000 healthcare workers have been inoculated from the first batch of 80 000 Johnson & Johnson doses.
While this stock is quickly thinning, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize — a man shrouded in controversy — confirmed that another 80 000 jabs will land at OR Tambo International Airport this weekend to keep the momentum going in Phase 1 of the vaccine programme.
Per Bhekisisa‘s Mia Malan, Mkhize revealed that ‘huge’ orders have been placed with J&J and Pfizer for an additional nine million and 20 million doses, respectively.
I cannot thank you enough for these threads. I appreciate that effort you've put in. The media has huge role to play and I wish most understood that. https://t.co/MHaKbLL6yC
— Kabedi (@KaBediHaiOne) February 23, 2021
Thus far, there is no indication of how soon these jabs will make it in the hands of the Health Department.