South African youths were on Monday commended by President Cyril Ramaphosa for showing up in large numbers to get vaccinated for the coronavirus.
Ramaphosa’s government opened the vaccination programme to people aged 18- to 35-year-olds on August 20.
“This fills me with great pride. Over half a million South Africans enrolled on the day that registration for over 18s opened,” Ramaphosa said.
In a weekly message to the nation, the president said South Africa had now passed the milestone of having vaccinated over 10 million people, and fully vaccinated (two jabs) nearly five million people.
While acknowledging there were still many people who were sceptical to get the jab, he urged the youth to take the injection “and ignore conspiracy theories.”
He likened the youth conduct at the vaccination centres to those of 1994 who stood in long queues to vote for the first democratic South African president (Nelson Mandela).
“The maturity that young people have brought to the important task of vaccinating as many South Africans as possible calls to mind the words of Frantz Fanon: that it is to each generation to discover its mission and fulfil it,” Ramaphosa said.
He praised South Africa’s young people for giving the country “all hope that an end to this time of hardship is within our sight”.
“Your time is now. Go and get your jab. This is your mission and your chance to fulfil it,” the president said.
He added: “We appeal to young people to post pictures of themselves getting vaccinated. These vaccines are safe. They work. Most importantly, they save lives.”
NM/jn/APA