Ntombela, alongside Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Thembi Siweya, and Deputy Minister of Health, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, visited a vaccination drive-through campaign at the Free State Stadium, as well as the vaccination site at the Pelonomi Hospital, which form part of the Department of Health's initiative to conduct site visits at Covid-19 facilities. 

In an interview with OFM News, Dhlomo said the partnership between the Cheetahs and the government at the vaccination drive at the Toyota Stadium, is one of many as such partnerships will encourage more people to get vaccinated. 

Dhlomo says the goal of the department is to be able to open leisure facilities, such as stadiums, by 2022 but for this to happen people need to comply with Covid-19 protocols, he adds.

"We need to encourage ourselves to say, maybe come January, February, the government might open our stadiums. For this to happen it depends on how we prepare ourselves," Dhlomo says.

Dhlomo further adds that 2022 will depend on what we do in these remaining months and weeks in 2021 in order to prepare ourselves for different results. "We have enough vaccines, come forward, then you know you're doing right," he says.

Dhlomo further shed light on the fact that various players of the Cheetahs rugby team received their jabs, which has many positive consequences.

"They are influencers, so they can influence many of their fan base, including other players on getting the vaccine," he says. 

When asked for feedback after his visit to the Pelonomi Hospital, Dhlomo says there were hardly any challenges, which meets the criteria of the department." The reports we get, most hospitals that experience challenges are from rural areas, Pelonomi and others in urban areas tend to experience less challenges".

The visit by the two deputy ministers comes just days after it has been confirmed that the 4th wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is expected to hit South Africa by November.

OFM News/Blaine Jones