Call for no vaccine mandate at schools, varsities

THE Hola Bon Renaissance Foundation (HBR) is demanding that the education departments put a stop to mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations before the start of the 2022 academic year.

The organisation, which launched a campaign to stop all forced jabs sent a letter of demand to Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande, and Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga on Thursday, requesting they desist from infringing on the rights of pupils, students and employees immediately.

HBR chairperson Bontshitswe Preddy Mothopeng said the Covid-19 PCR tests were scientifically unreliable. He said there was sufficient evidence that those who had recovered from Covid-19 developed robust and long-lasting immunity against the coronavirus, even after mild or asymptomatic infections.

“There is no evidence to show that those who have recovered from the infection will get any additional benefit from vaccination.

“Our client calls upon the South African Health Products Regulation Authority to denounce and retract the use of the PCR test for Sars-cov-2 diagnostic purposes with immediate effect as it is the main cause hyping the Covid-19 statistics, way beyond scientific realism. The statistics displayed in the media daily are scientifically flawed and they do not give a true scientific reflection of the Sars-cov-2 virus trajectory in South Africa,” the letter reads.

Tertiary institutions are due to welcome students for the new academic year from next month and most will continue with online registrations and learning. The University of Kwazulu-natal (UKZN) said it was in discussions regarding compulsory vaccinations for staff and students.

Normah Zondo, UKZN’S executive director of corporate relations, said the institution was aiming to register over 46 000 students and confirmed that online teaching and learning would continue until further notice.

“Only practical and clinical training will be face to face. The health and wellbeing of our staff and students are a priority and every precaution is taken to ensure their safety.

Zondo said they had various mechanisms in place to inspire the student population to get vaccinated.

Dr Maditsane Nkonoane, the registrar at Durban University of Technology (DUT), also confirmed that they would continue to offer online and blended teaching and learning.

He said access permits to campus would only be granted to students who required use of their laboratories as well as those whose home conditions were not conducive for learning.

He indicated that students would be permitted on campus provided they met the criteria of their Policy Choices on Vaccination of Staff and Students, which came into effect from January 1.

“This policy affords all members of the university community their individual freedom of choice. It is predicated on the following interrelated principles, namely rights and privileges that are to be kept in balance with responsibilities and obligations and ultimately consequences of individual choices.

The Hola Bon Renaissance Foundation has yet to receive acknowledgement from the education departments.