Provinces don’t have the legal authority to buy vaccines, Mkhize hits back at the WC

Mkhize made the comments during several inspections of healthcare facilities in Kwa-Zulu Natal on Monday.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde told the provincial legislature that additional vaccines would be procured for the province to supplement national government's effort.

But Mkhize says provinces can't, on their own accord, use the funding for other aspects of the virus to purchase vaccines.

He says if that were to be the case, all nine provinces would've been required to use existing resources to buy vaccines.

"Thirdly, there are a number of conditions that are associated with the terms of agreement of ordering the vaccines, no province can sign those and agree.

"No province has the authority to even do any of those," says Mkhize.

Mkhize also spoke about the steps government must follow prior to the signing of an agreement for the acquisition of the lifesaving medicine.

"I have to - as minister of health - to go and plead for special support from the national treasury. In addition, I've had to table the issue at cabinet.

"We deal directly with these manufacturers and their global CEOs. I talk to them, we deal with them, we eta. team set and sometimes the presidency, sometimes minister of international relations, various people have o deal with them. It is a mammoth task to negotiate that kind of consideration from the various manufacturing companies."

 Mkhize questioned the need for side purchases when government already ordered vaccines.

"If you were dealing with a situation where you had a denialist government then provinces would be at liberty to challenge it.

"But in this case, someone must explain to me when we already got the first batch ordered and we have got a few more - tell me what advantage would for any province to go on the side and order," says Mkhize.

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