- Another Gauteng EMS crew was robbed while
responding to an incident in Soweto. - On Wednesday, rocks were thrown at an EMS crew as
they tried to assist a patient who had been burnt. - The health department warned that if attacks
continue, EMS will not be able to work in some communities.
The Department of Health in Gauteng says it is
concerned about the rising number of attacks on the province’s Emergency
Medical Services (EMS).
This came after an ambulance was broken into in the
early hours of Sunday morning and a GPS device was stolen in Zola in Soweto.
The incident happened as the Tshepo Themba base was
responding to a call in Maseko Street.
“Unfortunately, the patient was declared dead
on arrival. The team noticed the robbery while getting the declaration book in
the vehicle to record the death. A case has since been opened at Jabulani
Police Station,” head of communication at the Gauteng Department of Health,
Motalatale Modiba, said in a statement.
Our EMS team was dispatched to Zola 2 at Maseko Street around 04h00am this morning. The Ambulance was vandalized, and broken into while the team was attending to the call. A case has been opened at Jabulani Police Station. No one was harmed, the GPS was stolen. pic.twitter.com/GR7q4cChyR
— Official_GautengEMS (@GautengEMS) June 14, 2020
On Wednesday night, another EMS crew was attacked
while responding to an incident of a burnt patient in Soshanguve, north of
Pretoria.
“The team on their way stopped to assess
another incident of a fire outbreak at Mary Me informal settlement in
Soshanguve. It is alleged that community members set a shack on fire to punish
its occupants, whom they accused of committing crime in the area,” the department
said.
“When EMS responded to the fire, crew members
were pelted with stones by the community to stop them from accessing the
burning property.”
None of the EMS personnel were injured, but a case
was opened at the local police station.
In March, EMS crew were robbed of their belongings
at gunpoint in Winterveld, north of Pretoria, while responding to an emergency
call.
The department has called on communities to work
with law enforcement agencies to bring criminals to book.
“Attacking EMS personnel will have dire
consequences for communities as our crews will end up not being able to respond
to emergencies when called by the very same communities,” the department
said.
