The North West Department of Health says it will be deploying armed guards to escort paramedics when they go into gang-infested Kanana and Jouberton townships of Klerksdorp.
This follows Sunday’s attack on two paramedics both of whom were women, who were responding to a call in Jouberton.
According to the department the duo was saved by a screaming member of the community who came to their aid after realising that the paramedics were about to be attacked.
The provincial department said the incident has been reported to the police.
The spokesperson for the department Tebogo Lekgethwane, said hotspots are in Jouberton and Kanana, and ambulances responding to calls in these areas would be escorted by armed security officers.
“The security cluster has been engaged to avail armed guards who will escort our ambulances in the hotspot areas. The department is continuing to engage the security cluster for a permanent solution to this problem.
“The department is disturbed by these continuous attacks on our health professionals. Fortunately none of our personnel got injured. The two men had to run away when the person from the house was screaming,” he said.
In April this year, health personnel, this time doctors, were robbed at gunpoint while working at Tshepong Hospital, said Lekgethwane, adding that this cannot be allowed to continue any further.
“These continued attacks put fear on our health professionals and they are not able to do their work freely,” he said.
North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha has condemned the incident and called for drastic measures.
“It is even painful that they attack our female crew during Women’s Month, which goes to show how low our society has degenerated.
“Health care is a matter of life and death, which can never be suspended because of crime. Matlosana has proven to be prone to acts of gangsterism and crime even at the doorsteps of health facilities and this latest attack is the third in a space of a few months,” Sambatha said.
