The DA has welcomed the news that Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has agreed to investigate City of Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mzwandile Masina after his announcement in March that the City would be buying Covid-19 vaccinations from Cuba.
Masina made the statement during the State of the City Address on March 18.
“During his statement, he was clearly heard saying that the City of Ekurhuleni would be purchasing vaccinations for the Covid-19 virus from Cuba and elsewhere, pending approval from the Medical Control Council (MCC),” said Mike Waters, DA constituency head Kempvale.
“On March 17, a day before Masina made the remarks, the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, issued regulations in terms of Section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act of 2002.
“Section 11 (5) (a) and (c) of these regulations prescribe harsh penalties around misinformation and exposure of the virus, including that a person is guilty of an offence and on conviction liable to a fine or imprisonment of six months if they publish a statement through any medium, including social media, intending to deceive any other person about the Covid-19 virus,” said Waters.
“Although the DA has written to Dlamini Zuma twice about the mayor‘s conduct, on March 23 and April 17 respectively, it has not received an acknowledgment of its letters, let alone any indication as to whether she intends pursuing the matter.
“The DA is therefore pleased to know that the Public Protector is planning to investigate the matter.”
