Gauteng MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo together with the taxi industry leadership have expressed disappointment over taxi drivers’ hesitancy to get vaccinated on Wednesday, 18 August 2021, at Bara Taxi Rank Covid19 Pop-up Vaccination site in Soweto.
The visit was part of the Provincial Government’s COVID-19 vaccination drive aimed at encouraging minibus taxi operators and commuters to register and vaccinate on site.
Speaking to Gauteng News, MEC Mamabolo said during the visit he has found that there is deep rooted scepticism andnegative sentiments amongst men in the taxi industry about taking the vaccine.
“It is very clear to me that the way people were brough up and their own life experiences is also affecting the rate of response to take the vaccine,” said Mamabolo.
“I have heard almost a good number of them saying when they grew up, they were told that vaccines are meant for animals that were sick, they say if they are to take the jab it sounds like they are animals,” added Mamabolo.
Mamabolo said the solution to this problem is to work patiently with the taxi industry and to explain to them that the vaccines are safe, and they are meant to save their lives.
“There was one of the taxi ranks marshals that we persuaded to take the jab, when he agreed to take the jab, he then said he needed to call his mother first, we called the mother and the mother told us the same thing that the jab is for sick animals,” he said.
Mamabolo said even when others are hesitating to take the jabthey are encouraged by those who are taking it.
“The jab cannot be forced on anyone, people must voluntarily come and take it,” he added.
