Members of the United National Transport Union (UNTU) working for Transnet, must make the personal decision on whether they want to be vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus or not.
Transnet assured Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU, that the state-owned enterprises (SOE), and its Executives decided that all employees must use their own discretion to decide if they wanted the vaccine or not. Transnet is currently of the view that no employee will be forced to take the vaccine.
The leadership of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) will discuss this matter with Organised Labour within a week and provide clarity to UNTU members working for Prasa.
UNTU Vice-President Trevor Wasserfall and UNTU Deputy-General Secretary Neels Haasbroek, got the vaccines the past week after being reluctant to do so.
“I took the unselfish decision of getting the vaccine. I want to protect people around me, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, from getting it. This is a small price to pay,” says Wasserfall.
In announcing Level 4 lockdown restrictions on Sunday night, Ramaphosa said there are false stories that are being spread on WhatsApp groups, on social media, and by word of mouth about the vaccine, claiming that the vaccine is not safe, that it can make you sick, or that it does not work.
“Please think long and hard before you press share or send. Please consider the harm you may be causing. You are spreading panic, fear and confusion at a time when we can ill-afford it,” Ramaphosa said.
