SAMHS personnel will be vaccinated

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The Surgeon General is off the legal hook of the SA National Defence Union (Sandu) following an undertaking that national defence force healthcare personnel will be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting in mid-March.

South Africa’s largest military trade union last week threatened legal action against Lieutenant General Zola Dabula, SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Chief General Solly Shoke and Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. This, after military healthcare personnel were apparently not registered for COVID-19 vaccinations.

A letter from Sandu’s legal representatives said the union had not received a response from the SANDF adding the “Surgeon General has given an undertaking that all healthcare professionals in the Department of Defence (DoD) will be vaccinated through SAMHS (SA Military Health Service)”.

“Taking this into account Sandu is, at this stage, not proceeding with legal action,” the letter states with the rider that “should the vaccination programme (for military healthcare personnel) not proceed, legal action may be taken”.