- The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation says a SA law firm's demand for an apology from the president is "misplaced and regrettably impertinent".
- Kirshen Naidoo & Company had, in an open letter, demanded Ramaphosa apologise for failing to thank the Indian government and the Serum Institue of India for the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines.
- The foundation urged the president to reject the "frivolous" demand.
The demand for an apology from President Cyril Ramaphosa is not only misplaced, but is regrettably impertinent, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) wrote in response to an open letter by the Kirshen Naidoo & Company law firm.
"The delivery of vaccines to South Africa from the Serum Institute is based on a commercial agreement between the South African government and pharma company, AstraZeneca.
"Under such a contractual arrangement there is no need to thank the Serum Institute or the Indian government," the foundation's executive director Neeshan Balton wrote in a open letter dated 3 February.
This comes after the law firm demanded - in an open letter - an apology from the president to the nation for failing to thank the Indian government and the Serum Institute of India for the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines.
The firm said in its letter that its acts for "various citizens and organisations" in the country.
The AKF said the firm appeared to have "sought to act without conducting a proper investigation into the vaccine industry".
"By now you should be aware that the Serum Institute is a manufacturer of vaccines. In this case it produced the vaccine under licence from AstraZeneca. It was public knowledge two weeks ago that South Africa procured the AstraZeneca vaccine for [about] R78 a dose and 1.5 million vaccines were to be shipped directly to our country from the Serum Institute.
"The price paid by South Africa is almost double the rate paid for the same drug in Europe," Balton added.
Balton further cited Ramaphosa's address to the nation on 1 February where he acknowledged the Serum Institute of India had produced the vaccine.
The AKF further addressed what it called the South African law firm's assertion that "India maintains strong ties with South Africa because of the fact that people of Indian origin made South Africa their home and not because our government is considerate, grateful and diplomatic".
The foundation is of the view that this is inaccurate and condescending.
"It's historical and present day relations with the people of South Africa has always been with South Africans as a nation, and not parochially motivated by the presence of people of Indian-descent living in South Africa.
"Your suggestion to the contrary regrettably seeks to separate South Africans of Indian descent from the rest of South Africa - a notion that can only be rejected with contempt," Balton further wrote.
The foundation said Ramaphosa should ignore the "frivolous demand".
Presidency spokesperson Tyrone Seale said they had "indicated to the company that this matter is being given consideration", The Witness reported.
"Finally, as South Africans committed to the building of this nation as a unified nation we reject any attempt at the creation of divisions - your letter can achieve no more than to encourage divisions where none should exist," Balton concluded.
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