For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: US supports South Africa’s vaccine roll-out strategy with $3m, organisation writes to Zondo, recommends changes to whistleblower legislation and, People aged 60 and older first to be vaccinated in next phase of rollout in Western Cape

US supports South Africa’s vaccine roll-out strategy with $3m

The US is supporting South Africa’s Covid-19 vaccine strategy by providing $3-million, or R45-million, in funding for vaccine distribution, field hospitals and data surveillance, through the US Agency for International Development.

US’s Todd Haskell said that the US government was committed to ending the Covid-19 pandemic and to supporting South Africa’s vaccine roll-out strategy.

The US has so far contributed R785-million to assist with South Africa’s Covid-19 strategy.

Organisation writes to Zondo, recommends changes to whistleblower legislation

The Active Citizens Movement has written to the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture to suggest amendments to legislation to protect whistleblowers.

The commission has heard testimonies from several whistleblowers.

ACM spokesperson Yashica Padia proposed several amendments such as introducing fines and penalties for employers found guilty of harassing and intimidating whistleblowers, providing witness protection mechanisms for whistleblowers and creating an appropriate funding mechanism to cover the legal costs of whistleblowers

People aged 60 and older first to be vaccinated in next phase of rollout in Western Cape

People who are 60 and older will be vaccinated first under Phase 2 of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in the Western Cape, which is expected to start in May.

Provincial head of health, Dr Keith Cloete, said that his steering committee was putting the last planning systems in place for a "successful and scaled-up process".

In the coming week, the "final touches" are expected to be made once the number of vaccines that will be supplied to the province is established and how soon they will be received.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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