Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has called on law enforcement authorities to clamp down on cable theft and to catch the criminals who are behind this scourge.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said this after a copper pipe supplying oxygen to various sections of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital was cut off threatening the lives of many patients some of whom were in high care.
She said she wanted the criminals caught and charged with attempted murder for endangering the lives of scores of patients.
The Gauteng Department of Health confirmed in a statement this week that a 10 meter copper pipe which supplies oxygen to various sections of the main Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) was stolen.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said Clinicians at the facility noticed that the flow of oxygen was lower than
normal and reported the incident to the Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) which is responsible for the plant room where the stolen pipe runs.
The DID discovered that the oxygen supply pipe was tempered with.
“The people who stole the copper pipe should not just be charged with theft but also with attempted murder. They intentionally put the lives of 24 patients at risk, 19 of whom were on life support and depended on access to oxygen through artificial ventilation,” said Nkomo Ralehoko.
She said patients were immediately evacuated to another ward where ventilation was continued and the copper pipe has since been replaced.
The Health Department said the process to move patients back into the main ICU has started today (Wednesday).
A case has since been opened with the Diepkloof SAPS.
In November this year, the government banned the export of waste metal, including copper cable, together with a permit system for export of specified semi-processed metal products to curb the cable theft.
According to the government, the economic damage of copper theft alone has been estimated at more than R45 billion. In 2017 to 2021, the length of cable annually stolen from Transnet’s lines increased from 120 km to 724 km
