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- Sanlam says its planned mandatory vaccination policy is aimed at ensuring workplace safety.
- Exceptional reasons against vaccination will be assessed.
- Discovery and Curro are also making Covid-19 vaccinations for staff compulsory, while Sibanye-Stillwater is "seriously considering" it.
Sanlam is formulating a policy for mandatory staff vaccinations against Covid-19.
The company, which is Africa's largest insurer, said the policy will apply to all employees in its South African operations, except in "exceptional" cases.
"We would prefer to vaccinate as many of our employees as possible. However, some people may have valid reasons for not vaccinating, such as medical conditions. Such exceptional cases will be addressed in terms of the group’s relevant policies," the company told Fin24.
"The policy will apply to all employees of the group in South Africa."
Sanlam cited workplace safety and prevention of loss life as the main reasons behind the planned policy.
Last week, Discovery, the country's largest medical aid scheme, announced that it would make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for all staff from the start of next year.
The private education group Curro will also require that all staff be vaccinated by year-end. Last month, CEO Andries Greyling said mandatory vaccination was aimed at creating a safe teaching and learning space. The company may consider retrenching those who fail to oblige.
On Thursday, Sibanye-Stillwater's CEO Neal Froneman told an investor briefing that the company was "seriously considering" enforcing vaccination of staff.
He said Discovery had done the right thing by issuing a mandatory directive.
"I think it is going to become a worldwide phenomenon that work in places where people have to congregate is only going to take place when everyone has been vaccinated," said Froneman.
"As a principle, from a company point of view, it is something we are seriously considering."
Mining companies are at the forefront of the vaccination rollout, with many using their workplace health facilities as vaccination centres. Sibanye has seven active vaccination sites across the country. The facilities have administered jabs to approximately 52 000 permanent employees, which is over 62% of the entire workforce.
South Africa's Covid-19 vaccination rollout has opened to all adults, and so far almost 14.4 million people have been vaccinated, according to official data by the department of health.
The country has set a target of having 40 million of the 59 million South Africans fully vaccinated by 31 December 2021.
But vaccine hesitancy is rife, with new research released by Ask Africa and GCIS on Monday showing that only 62% of South Africans are willing to take the vaccine.
