For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines: Children aged 12 and older can now get Covid-19 vaccine jab; UCT approves mandatory vaccination proposal; And, ActionSA promises to address immigration and revitalise cities

Children aged 12 and older can now get Covid-19 vaccine jab

The vaccination of children aged 12 to 17 against Covid-19 has begun.

This will potentially add around six-million additional people to the country's vaccination programme. The Department of Health said it hoped to vaccinate at least half of this age group by the start of the school holidays.

To date, more than 11-million people in South Africa are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

People aged 12 to 17 will be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine in line with the recommendations of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Vaccines.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced the move on Friday, adding that all children aged 12 and older will be eligible to receive one dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

UCT approves mandatory vaccination proposal

The University of Cape Town Council has approved, in-principle, a proposal requiring that all staff and students provide acceptable proof of having been vaccinated against Covid-19.

The UCT Senate voted in favor of mandatory vaccination at their last meeting, in September, with 83% or respondents indicating support for the proposal.

The proposal will take effect from January 1, 2022 and will ask staff to vaccinate as a condition of being able to perform their duties and students to vaccinate as a condition of registration.

UCT staff and students were engaged on the matter through a survey which received support for mandatory vaccination.

UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng said that the university executive will establish an appropriately constituted panel to develop the operational details required to implement the proposal.

And, ActionSA promises to address immigration and revitalise cities

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba promised that his party will address immigration and revitalise inner cities.

This comes as accusations of xenophobia continue to dog the ActionSA leader, owing to the party’s policies on immigration.

Mashaba said ActionSA would ensure that it conducted inter-governmental operations to improve services rendered to foreign nationals.

Mashaba explained that resolving immigration challenges also required metros to be fixed by ensuring inner city revitalisation.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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