Shosh banks on fears around forced vaccinaion

SHOSHOLOZA Progressive Party (Shosh), formed in 2015, is calling for South Africans to defend their right to choose by refusing mandatory vaccination and vaccine passports.

Shosh is also promising citizens who join the party, that they stand a chance to win R100000 at the endof-year lucky draw.

Shosh national spokesperson David Sibeko jr said they were against mandatory vaccinations, based on scientific evidence.

“We are pro-choice. We are not anti-vaxx and we are not pro-vaxx but we are proudly pro-choice. Our decision is based on scientific evidence. Covid-19 is no deadlier than the ordinary flu that kills about 12000 during the flu season (which lasts 3 months) in South Africa. The Covid19 recovery rate in South Africa is over 98% and millions of people have contracted the virus and recovered.

“Immunology teaches us that once you recover from an infection, you have developed the immunity against that infection, and therefore, we do not see the imperative to vaccinate for people who have recovered.

“However, we respect their choice to go and vaccinate if they wish, and our government must also respect the choice of those who do not wish to vaccinate. Our view is that only the vulnerable should be vaccinated and this will save us billions of rand,” Sibeko said.

He said as pro-choice activists, they strongly believe that the health information of individuals was a private matter, and individuals must be accorded the opportunity to attend to their health matters in private.

“Those that wish to divulge their vaccination status must be free to do so and must not be forced. I therefore choose not to divulge my vaccination status.”

Asked if Shosh was using the Covid-19 as a campaign tool in order to appeal to those citizens who were against vaccination, Sibeko said: “No, we are not. We are a balanced party with a balanced view. We have listened to both sides of the discourse i.e. the protagonists and the antagonists. Both groups consist of highly trained professionals in the field of epidemiology, virology, vaccinology, and some are doctors that have taken the (Hippocratic) oath.

“We refuse to be swayed by money but only by reason, thus our position that we are not anti-vaxx or pro-vaxx, but we are pro-choice. It is true that we are facing a pandemic, but it is also true that the powers that be have used this pandemic to diminish our rights, e.g. the freedom of assembly, the freedom to worship in our churches, the freedom of movement, the freedom of association, the freedom of speech, and now the freedom of choice is under threat,” he said.

“Never before in our entire post-apartheid era have our people been subjected to a quasi state of emergency and for so long. This has damaged livelihoods, and we cannot allow it to continue into perpetuity because of greed and profit.”

Does Sibeko think his organisation is risking people’s lives, especially the vulnerable poor black majority who lack information on the pros and cons of vaccines?

Sibeko said, “The same can be said for those who are advocating forced vaccinations or no choice. They are manipulating and cajoling the vulnerable poor black majority who lack information. There is no iota of evidence that unvaccinated people can infect vaccinated people.”

Sibeko said his party would contest (in) the Joburg Metro, only.

He added that South Africans should think differently and vote differently in the upcoming elections.

“We propose a dignity grant for the unemployed, and we propose monetary velocity as the key to stimulate economic growth. For municipal service delivery, we propose a new landscape that will give real power to the people. Empower residents to clean their communities, and in so doing, create jobs.

“We shall create job centres in every community to train and assist young people to find employment or start businesses. We shall introduce youth brigades who will be trained to guard and protect their communities like a youth national service,” Sibeko said.