“Freedom of speech and open public debate are cornerstones of our democracy, as is the media’s right to scrutinise and interrogate all government’s policies and decisions.”
“We have sought to explain all our decisions, to listen to people’s concerns and to continuously update the country on the state of the disease. When it comes to fighting a deadly pandemic like this, honesty and trust are just as valuable as any vaccine,” he said. He said everyone needed to be part of this national effort and not allow the spread of rumours, fear and mistrust. False information and fake news can and does put lives at risk, said Ramaphosa.
“For its part, government will work to improve all its channels of communication, to keep the public regularly informed on the development of the vaccination programme, to provide information that is accurate and factual, and to continue to engage with and listen to the broad range of voices in our society.”He said this will signal the start of a mass vaccination campaign, the most ambitious and extensive in SA’s history.