- The DA wants the ad hoc committee to establish what went wrong with the rollout.
- It said such a committee would be able to do a focused investigation and look at all government departments, notably health and finance.
- The party had written to National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise to ask for such a committee to be established.
The DA wants an ad hoc committee to investigate government's slow Covid-19 vaccine rollout, which it describes as an "executive failure".
DA spokesperson on health Siviwe Gwarube has written to National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise to ask for the establishment of such a committee.
The DA proposed that this multiparty ad hoc committee should have broad terms of reference to allow for as comprehensive an inquiry as possible. Specifically, this committee should "conduct an inquiry into all matters related to the government's failure to timeously acquire and secure an adequate supply of Covid-19 vaccines for the South African public".
"I think that South Africans are rightly extremely angry with the rollout of our country's vaccine programme. The fact is that our vaccines have arrived way too late, and they are not enough for South Africa's needs," said DA MP and spokesperson on finance, Geordin Hill-Lewis.
He said subsequently, South Africans under the age of 40, and those above 60 still waiting for their jabs, were constantly living in anxiety and fear of the virus as the third wave washed over the country, adding:
He said a full-scale parliamentary inquiry should find out exactly what went wrong.
Gwarube said there was parliamentary precedent for such an inquiry, citing 2018's inquiry into State Owned Enterprises.
Early this year, Gwarube called for the establishment of an ad hoc committee to oversee the inter-ministerial committee (IMC) for the vaccine rollout headed by Deputy President David Mabuza. Modise said it was a matter that should be referred to the House, and as of yet, a motion for the establishment of such a committee hadn't been before the House.
However, Gwarube said this committee was different, as it would conduct an inquiry.
"What we're asking for now is an inquiry. It is simply not good enough that Parliament doesn't know what went wrong," she said.
"This committee's entire function would be to investigate why, in 15 months, we have vaccinated such a low number of people. The National Assembly has a committee that oversees the Department of Health, the Portfolio Committee on Health.
"The reality here is that the portfolio committee has also, due to the majority that is held by the ANC members, shielded the minister from being held to account on a number of occasions," she said. She used a recent meeting where Mkhize were shielded from answering about Digital Vibes as an example.
She said the portfolio committee had its prescribed functions, only oversees the health department, and didn't have all the powers an ad hoc committee would have.
An ad hoc committee would be able to take a more holistic approach by, for instance, Hill-Lewis serving on it to deal with financial matters, like South Africa's reportedly late payments to the Covax facility, one of the issues he wanted answers on.
It would also be able to take a look into all government departments.
Hill-Lewis said if the inquiry was established, its first port of call should be looking at the contracts with vaccine providers.