Weekend Argus reports that across the country, paramedics have been falling victim to criminal attacks while on duty. As a result, an online petition calling for the government to protect paramedics has gained momentum since its launch in late August.

Levy Leburu, the paramedic who launched the petition, pointed out that in the last decade, attacks on ambulance services and the like have grown at an alarming rate, but their safety has remained a casual consideration. ‘’I wrote a letter to the Health Professional Council of SA (HPCSA) 13 years ago, asking them if we should carry a firearm, as a precaution, to protect ourselves while we are on duty. It was out of sight that we were being targeted while on duty,’’ reported Leburu. He indicated that the answer to his request was no, even though paramedics continued to face danger in the communities they served. ‘’Paramedics are an essential service provided in South Africa, responding to emergencies to save lives and risking theirs. We demand compulsory accompanying by armed private security or police for all paramedics. Protect our lives! End the attacks on paramedics,’’ exhorted Leburu. Western Cape Health Department spokesperson Mark van der Heever said there are various engagements around the safety of EMS staff on a national level, and on a provincial level, and the safety of paramedics was a high priority for the Western Cape Government.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Zolani Sinxo at Weekend Argus

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