Photo: Magda Wierzycka / Twitter
Photo: Magda Wierzycka / Twitter
Could South Africa find a way out of its vaccine predicament by working to develop a new one? It’s understood that Sygnia, a financial services company co-founded by Magda Wierzycka, has approached the Serum Institute of India (SII) to run trials on a new set of jabs, with the goal of producing 10 million inoculations for SA citizens. But the EFF isn’t happy…
The Polish refugee arrived in South Africa when she was 13. Her remarkable rise up the business ladder has propelled her to unimaginable heights. In 2018, Magda Wierzycka was listed as this country’s richest businesswoman, with an estimated net worth of R1 billion. According to Bloomberg, Sygnia’s vaccination plans have already been presented to government.
That’s not going to sit too well with Julius Malema and his comrades, however. The leader of the EFF has spoken at great length about the involvement of billionaires with COVID-19 vaccines. Juju is staunchly opposed to the idea that rich could make themselves richer through these initiatives, and his party stands in full agreement.
According a statement issued by the EFF on Wednesday afternoon, Magda Wierzycka is ‘too close’ to Cyril Ramaphosa, and ‘should not be doing business with the state’. The Red Berets have since demanded that the President, as well as the Health Department, submits all confidential details about the deal agreed between Sygnia and the SII:
“The EFF notes the shocking revelations that a CR17 funder, Magda Wierzycka, is involved as a middleman in the procurement of a new vaccine. Another white European friend of Cyril Ramaphosa is being rewarded with a state contract.
“We warned that the unfolding corruption under Ramaphosa will result in massive suffering and deaths amongst our people. We have written an urgent letter to the President and the Minister of Health, to disclose comprehensive details of the involvement Sygnia and Magda Wierzycka have had in procuring a COVID-19 vaccine.”
EFF statement