He was speaking at Tembisa Hospital during a thanksgiving ceremony, where the Chief Justice also thanked and prayed for health workers helping to fight the deadly coronavirus.

Some of Mogoeng's comments, while praying for assistance against the virus, centred around "vaccines of the devil".

“If there be any vaccine that is of the devil, meant to infuse triple-six in the lives of people, meant to corrupt their DNA, any such vaccine, Lord God almighty, may it be destroyed by fire, in the name of Jesus.”

Mogoeng called for the divine destruction of those vaccines.

Many are concerned his comments may create unfounded fears around vaccine safety.

eNCA