- Anti-vaccination protesters took to Groote Schuur Hospital and protested against the vaccine rollout.
- They voiced their support for heart surgeon Dr Susan Vosloo who made anti-vaccine comments last week.
- Public health groups condemned the protesters as being disrespectful against hardworking healthcare workers caring for Covid-19 patients at the hospital.
A group of protesters held a demonstration outside the entrance of Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital on Saturday, calling on the government to support those who do not want to be vaccinated.
The group is dead set against the Covid-19 vaccine rollout campaign by the government and also showed their support for heart surgeon Dr Susan Vosloo, who came under fire after making anti-vaccine remarks in a video last week.
Protesters armed with anti-vaccine placards which read: "Love is more contagious than fear, we must unmask-our-kids"; "I am not a lab rat"; "Control the sheep, Covid vaccines"; "We do not consent to medical tyranny"; "We support Susan Vosloo" and "Covidiots", lined the street outside the hospital.
Some were seen brandishing posters claiming President Cyril Ramaphosa was not being truthful with the nation. The posters read: "Cyril why are you lying", and "You've got to change your evil ways Cyril, no to vaccines".
One protester said he had been "breathing fresh air" for over 50 years, and it had not killed him as yet.
"I am still here … I am still breathing. We do not want their experimental drug. It is not a vaccine, but an experimental drug," he snapped.
Another protester claimed there was no reliable data on those who received the jab.
"They spread fear about the Covid illness and deaths, so that our society can remain in fear. All we see is our loved ones dying after taking the jab. They want us all to be fearful all the time but we are not going to submit to this fear, we want our voices heard," the protester added.
"We also have a right to say no to the vaccine ... it's our bodies, it's our choice. There is nothing that shows that the vaccine is good, it's not good at all. It's good for people who believe in this rushed vaccine."
Another protester, who was identified himself as a doctor, called on people to stand up for the "integrity of their bodies".
"Their vaccine is harmful; it is not an actual vaccine. It is a toxic, DNA-altering medical procedure. We need to stand for the integrity of our bodies. It's a violation of international law and a crime against humanity and it is forced on people. Pharmaceuticals are not into healthcare, how can they call it as healthcare?" he said.
Those who did not want the vaccine should be protected, said protester Catherine Raphaely.
"We really want people to be supported if they choose to not take the jab. I am not an anti-vaccination person, but I know that these ones are not properly done. It is an experimental drug of some sort, and they know people like vaccines, so they call it a vaccine anyway," she said.
Cape Town metro police officers kept a close eye over the demonstrators as the picket moved to the busy main road in Observatory, attracting cheers and hooting from passing motorists.
Public health groups condemned the protest, calling it "disrespectful" for the work being done at the city's busiest hospital.
Western Cape health spokesperson Mark van der Heever earlier said vaccination remained voluntary and the provincial government had not changed its stance on this.
"Vaccines are safe and highly effective in preventing severe Covid-19 illness. Doctors are already noting the major, positive impact that vaccines are having. We encourage residents to get their information from trusted, reliable sources - if they are unsure, please speak to their local clinic or hospital to get more information about the vaccine," he added.
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