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Cape Argus reports that the brave men and women from the Western Cape’s emergency medical services (EMS) are increasingly looking to relocate to other provinces, because of the trauma of working in the province.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) Western Cape provincial secretary Baxolise Mali confirmed that EMS staff in the metro were looking to leave due to the continual violence they experienced. “Incidents are reported to labour on a quarterly basis to the bargaining chamber … The common form of attacks are gun-pointing, hijacking, robbery and verbal abuse,” Mali indicated. EMS spokesperson Deanna February confirmed that staff have been requesting transfers to other provinces, with the majority of requests, however, motivated to be closer to their families. February said the service had not had any transfer requests specifically due to attacks on staff. “Staff will exit the services for a myriad reasons, but none has cited the staff attacks as one of them. The exits consist of retirements, resignations, absconding and dismissals,” she indicated. During the 2021/22 year, there were 68 exits and as of 1 April to date there were 11. In April, four attacks were reported and in May six. From January to date there have been 15 assaults on EMS staff. “The nature of the assaults ranges from theft, threatening behaviour, hijacking and damage to vehicles or EMS facilities,” February reported. Although most attacks did not result in serious physical injuries, essential health services were often disrupted.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Shakirah Thebus at Cape Argus
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