President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday that the global vaccine distribution scheme COVAX and vaccines alliance GAVI should commit themselves to buying vaccines from local manufacturing hubs.

"The lack of a market for vaccines produced in Africa is something that should be concerning to all of us. Organizations such as COVAX and GAVI need to commit to buying vaccines from local manufacturers instead of going outside of those hubs that have been set up," Ramaphosa said.

He was speaking after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the first six African countries, including South Africa, to receive the technology needed to produce mRNA vaccines.