Heads of Departments are encouraged to continuously engage with staff members, organized labor and stakeholders in their departments to promote the uptake of vaccines in line with the Department of Health’s guidelines.
Public Service and Administration Director-General, Ms Yoliswa Makhasi, said discussions are ongoing with the stakeholders and organised labor to consider the introduction of a mandatory vaccine mandate, along the parameter of the OHS direction in case the voluntary uptake does not increase to an acceptable level as set the by the Department of Health. Departments will be informed of developments in this regard on a continuous basis.
She said following inquiries by different departments on the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine in the public service, the matter was tabled at the National Task Team of Directors-General (NTT) on COVID-19 Work stream.
“Proposals are under consideration to increase the voluntary uptake of vaccines by public servants through advocacy by communicating the benefits of vaccination and to consider the introduction of mandatory vaccine mandate.
“In the interim, all departments are urged to develop awareness and communication plans to share credible information about vaccination against COVID-19 as per DPSA circular 7 of 2021.
Departments should also continue to advocate and practice COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions such as sanitising wearing of masks and physical distancing.
