SA Company Gets The Green Light To Manufacture Covid-19 Rapid Test Kits
N Mkhatshwa
The ANC welcomes the approval of biotechnology company, CapeBio, by the regulators to manufacture Covid–19 rapid test kits. We believe the test kits, co-developed by CapeBio and CSIR, will help to reduce SA's reliance on imports, making it easier for the country and the rest of the continent to gain speedy access to test kits. This is a massive achievement in the national response to the pandemic and a significant milestone for our country. As the highly infectious Delta variant continues to drive SA's third wave of Covid-19 infections, testing has become increasingly important. The more testing is done, the easier it is for a country to track the virus, identify clusters, and act accordingly.
This latest development is part of a concerted effort by the Department of Science and Innovation and its partners to build local capabilities to respond to viruses like Covid-19. We understand that the first batches will be available for local market uptake before the end of August 2021. The ANC believes that this is a significant breakthrough that confirms the importance of collaborative work between the public and private sectors to fast-track the rollout and uptake of South African technologies.
