She says this will aid the police to carrying out their duties among communities without fear of being infected.

She adds the vaccination programme, which is set to take place at 16 identified sites across the province, will take about a month.

Motswenyane says SAPS members, public services, reservists and contract workers will receive the Johnson & Johnson jabs.

“We are excited that finally the day arrived where our members will be vaccinated, because as law enforcers - most of the times when we execute our duties - we come into contact with perpetrators and by so doing we are saying that we are safe now to go and execute our mandate as the police,” she adds.

About 500 SAPS members received the jab on Thursday, with thousand more expected to receive the vaccine for the next month.

Meanwhile, 58 SAPS members have passed on due to Covid-19 complications since March 2020, following the spread of the virus across the country.

Police spokesperson, Thandi Mbambo, told OFM News that about 2008 of the men and women in blue were affected by the virus across the province between March 2020 and July 2021.

Mbambo says the Johnson & Johnson vaccine came as a relief to them, to save and protect the lives of men and women in blue.

Police members will be vaccinated in groups of 10, with 10 vaccination booths prepared at Bobbie's Park in Bloemfontein.

OFM News