South Africans battle to bridge digital divide in Covid-19 vaccination race

A file photo of woman receiving a dose of a coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine, as South Africa rolls out the coronavirus disease vaccination to the elderly in Johannesburg, South Africa. — Reuters

JOHANNESBURG: When Esther Dhlamini went to collect her pension in Johannesburg’s Soweto township, she was surprised to find a local bishop on hand to soothe her fears about Covid-19 vaccination and register her for the jab on his mobile phone.

Community “foot soldiers” like the bishop are among numerous initiatives being scrambled across South Africa to tackle a digital divide that threatens to hit vaccine take-up among people without internet access – including many pensioners.