Less than two weeks after the government signalled urgency in boosting the take-up of Covid-19 jabs, it has left the important task to businesses after saying it would seek a Constitutional Court order before making vaccination mandatory for access to certain places and activities.

At a time when SA may be forced to confront a fourth wave of infections with just a quarter of the population fully vaccinated, a social compact at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) agreed in principle that the only way out of the health pandemic is to ensure the vast majority have taken jabs...