---
title: "Week Four: A million Pfizer doses administered; Health department rolls up its sleeves without Mkhize"
description: "The Department of Health has assured South Africa it is ‘committed and capable’ of continuing the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out – even with the health minister on special leave. Meanwhile, the University of Cape Town’s Covid-19 vaccine trial is making strides and more than one million Pfizer doses have been administered."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "VACCINATION DIARY"
author: "Christi Nortier"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/christinortier/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-06-09-week-four-a-million-pfizer-doses-administered-health-department-rolls-up-its-sleeves-without-mkhize/"
published: "2021-06-09T20:13:08"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 226
---

# Week Four: A million Pfizer doses administered; Health department rolls up its sleeves without Mkhize

> The Department of Health has assured South Africa it is ‘committed and capable’ of continuing the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out – even with the health minister on special leave. Meanwhile, the University of Cape Town’s Covid-19 vaccine trial is making strides and more than one million Pfizer doses have been administered.

By Christi Nortier · Published 9 June 2021, 22:13 SAST

## Content

On Tuesday, 8 June, South Africa had administered more than one million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

- Eastern Cape: 88,224
- Free State: 55,687
- Gauteng: 264,986
- KwaZulu-Natal: 281,940
- Limpopo: 111,004
- Mpumalanga: 38,906
- North West: 55,267
- Northern Cape: 9,363
- Western Cape: 137,901

The department is “committed and capable” of managing the Covid-19 pandemic and scaling up vaccination despite Health Minister Zweli Mkhize being placed on special leave, according to the director-general of health Dr Sandile Buthelezi.

Buthelezi reiterated that this will be led by acting health minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane. Kubayi-Ngubane is the Minister of Tourism.

Buthelezi said an update on the roll-out will be provided during a webinar this week. He also promised that the department will launch an interactive dashboard for vaccinations “in the near future”.

In the Western Cape, an experimental Covid-19 vaccine now in Phase 1 trials has enrolled participants. The trial is being run by the University of Cape Town and began in March. Elri Voigt [explains](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-06-08-trial-of-potentially-variant-proof-vaccine-gains-pace-in-western-cape/) what makes this potential vaccine different from the rest.

Meanwhile, Gauteng released an [updated vaccination site list](https://www.gauteng.gov.za/Announcements/AnnouncementDetails/3F9E17D0-5F69-4C47-9555-014AA9623A24?fbclid=IwAR1Sewfcmnb07VzcygzlatKW9Lujj2lomgF8YcRB_eH6OCH_bb-Fw9XRO98). It now has 89 public vaccination sites and 40 private sites. To date, 499,533 people have registered for Phase 2 and Phase 1b.

Healthcare workers are helping the elderly to register in their homes and in other settings. Call 0800 22 88 27 for assistance with registration. **DM/MC**