South Africa should step up Covid-19 vaccinations, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, urging members of his governing African National Congress (ANC) party to fight vaccine hesitancy in communities.

Nearly 40 per cent of South Africa's adult population has been fully vaccinated, higher than in many other African countries but less than the government had hoped for by this stage, reports Reuters.

“We can do better as South Africans, so I, therefore, urge all of us who have not yet been vaccinated, let us go out in our great numbers [and get the vaccine],” Ramaphosa told an ANC anniversary event. “The recovery of our economy is very much dependent on many of us being vaccinated.”