Vaccine Passports

What’s in the M&G this week [View this email in your browser]( September 10, 2021 [Mail & Guardian]( [Mail & Guardian]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( Hi there, Rights and responsibilities: The government is working on incentives to promote Covid-19 vaccinations. Is a “vaccine passport” the next step? And whose rights supersede all? More in the M&G, available in print and online. By the end of September, South Africans who have been vaccinated will have a digital certificate. But this is not to force anyone to be vaccinated — yet. The department of health told Marcia Zali and Chris Gilili that [discussions to create a digital vaccine certificate are at an advanced stage](. This is likely to open doors that could remain closed for the unvaccinated. With the issue of “vaccine passports'' at the forefront of the agenda, many have asked: [can your employer force you to be vaccinated?]( Legislation allows employers to consider whether an unvaccinated employee can keep their job. Employers have an obligation to undertake a risk assessment regarding whether they intend to make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory. Zali explains the law. Until recently, Covid had similarly threatened our elections, with the ruling party in particular calling for them to be postponed. It appears the Electoral Commission of South Africa threw the ANC a lifeline when it reopened candidate registration for the local government elections, paving the way for the party’s candidates who had missed the original 23 August deadline. But the ANC has not quite dodged the bullet; it [still faces a constitutional court challenge from the Democratic Alliance]( and a number of potential court applications from within its own ranks, Paddy Harper and Khaya Koko report. Harper also has some internal party news for us. [​​The ANC has fired the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association spokesperson, Carl Niehaus]( as a party employee for his public threats to lay theft charges against the ANC’s leaders because of the nonpayment of salaries and benefits. In this week's Q&A Session, Tebogo Manamela talks to Lucas Ledwaba about helping to [preserve Africa’s heritage]( and the rewards of working with — and sometimes being attacked by — animals at the Kruger National Park. It’s South Africa’s national bird and its long feathers were worn by Zulu kings as a sign of royalty. Now the striking blue crane, which numbers about 25 000, has [another threat adding to its decline from habitat loss]( poisoning and powerline collisions: climate change. Sheree Bega has the story. Earlier in the week Bega brought us a equally disturbing story — [a “cancer causing” herbicide has been found in South Africa’s bread and flour](. About half of South Africa's maize crop and 100% of the soya crop is genetically modified — it’s grown with the use of glyphosate. But Bayer South Africa disagrees that it causes cancer. And that’s us for this week, friends. Don’t forget to check out the below banner for the ridiculously good deal the folks at distribution have cooked up. Until Tuesday, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Subscribe now]( Enjoy The Ampersand? Share it with your friends [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( [Share]( [Share]( Copyright © 2021 Mail & Guardian Media LTD, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive communications from the Mail & Guardian either at our website or by taking out a print subscription. Our mailing address is: Mail & Guardian Media LTD 25 Owl St BraamfonteinJohannesburg, Gauteng 2001 South Africa [Add us to your address book]( Want to change which mails you receive from Mail & Guardian? [Update your preferences]( to tell us what you do and don't want to receive, or [unsubscribe](. *If you are a paying subscriber, we recommend updating your preferences rather than unsubscribing, as you may miss important information relating to your subscription.