​Lerato Mailoane
South Africa's Deputy President, David Mabuza is today visited the community of Kagiso, Mogale City in the Westrand to dispel myths surrounding vaccination hesitancy.
Addressing the community during his walkabout at Odirileng Maponya clinic, Mabuza said fake news about the alleged negative effects of being vaccinated can be blamed for the vaccine hesitancy which is worrying government.
"It is important for all of us to vaccinate, and that is why we are here. We are here to visit people in their homes spreading this message," said Mabuza.
Mabuza's visit comes as the West Rand has less than eight percent of locals who have vaccinated.
Accompanying the Deputy President was Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi and members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Covid-19 Vaccines to assess Gauteng's rollout outreach programme.
"We are taking the vaccine to our people. Some are reluctant, some are driven by fake news and rumours about the vaccine, so we are here to explain the benefits of being vaccinated and dispel rumours that vaccines will kill them."
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Covid-19 Vaccines identified three provinces falling short of their set targets to reach population immunity, including Gauteng. 
"We are going to go down to families, not [only] here in Gauteng, we will be going to North West, Mpumalanga, the Western Cape because we must reach that target of the 31st of December," he said.
Mabuza said there has been a low uptake of the vaccine in some areas because the communities lack information.
Vaccine hesitancy is a problem as the country needs to get out of this situation. "We can't be in this situation. Our people have lost jobs. So, we must ensure we pull out of this problem," he said.
Makhura said the province will work tirelessly in ensuring the there is a turnaround in the vaccination figures for the West Rand community which is predominantly a mining community.
Youth leader, 29-year-old Kagiso Kuduge said most of his peers are hesitant to get vaccinated and called on government to host an educational vaccine drive for the youth in the area.
In response, Premier Makhura and MEC Mokgethi agreed to bring health professionals to the area for an educational drive at the clinic where the youth's concerns will be addressed.
The entourage then went door to door in people's homes to encourage them to get vaccinated.