News24 reports that the Department of Health in Gauteng is concerned about the rising number of attacks on the province's Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
This was indicated after an ambulance was broken into in the early hours of Sunday morning and a GPS device was stolen in Zola in Soweto. "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," the department’s Motalatale Modiba, said in a statement. On Wednesday night, another EMS crew was attacked while responding to an incident of a burnt patient in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria. When responding to a fire, EMS crew members were pelted with stones by the community to stop them from accessing the burning property. None of the EMS personnel were injured. In March, EMS crew were robbed of their belongings at gunpoint in Winterveld, north of Pretoria. "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 warned.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Vanessa Banton at News24
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