BY NOKO MASHILO
Nkanyiso Mthombeni is the Vax Champ of the week who is using Vax Champ and vaccination drive as the tool that makes the society safe from the virus, so that we will all live in a virus free society. He is also the human and environmental activist who run an NGO called The New Environment Justice Solution that represent coal mining affected communities in KZN.
Born 37 years ago from Verdriet farm in Dannhauser, KZN, Nkanyiso is determined to enforce section 24 of the constitution that says everyone has the right to live in an environment that is harmful to their health and human being.
His passion for climate change, health care availability, civil rights and racial discrimination has made him a participant in the drive of South Africa has a right to ivermectin, a group of doctors and scientists who believe ivermectin will be effective for fighting the virus during the pick of the pandemic. “This led me to be elected as the team leader for Newcastle and Northern Natal region. My duties were identifying vaccines sites and inform the community where to vaccinate,” said Nkanyiso.
Nkanyiso said when Vax Champ was officially launched by Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla last year, he joined the KZN WhatsApp group with some of his team members. “Together we started mobilizing in TVET colleges and schools around our areas where we targeted the youth,” said Nkanyiso.
This go-getter said he is planning a beauty pageant of Miss Vax Champ. “Instead of looking at the beauty, we will be looking at the person who is passionate about taking social responsibility to be a good influencer and ambassador of Vax Champ. We would like to team up with district municipalities and also department of education and health. The theme will be make this world a better place for me and you,” said Nkanyiso.
Nkanyiso has emphasized that even though the state of disaster is lifted, it does not mean that Covid 19 is no more. “We must not stop encouraging people to vaccinate. Take an example of what happened to HIV and Aids,” said Nkanyiso.
