Public and private EMS workers in Nelson Mandela Bay are increasingly being targeted by criminals, frequently held up, hijacked, robbed, shot at and pistol-whipped while trying to carry out their duties, and often, being prevented from attending to patients.
Just getting to a patient in the region has become a fight for survival, they told News24.
State EMS worker Jake Weimers was recently assaulted while sitting in the passenger’s seat of an ambulance, pistol-whipped several times, and then he and his colleague were fired upon as they drove away after being held up by three men – metres from their headquarters at Dora Nginza Hospital when they had stopped at a shop.
Weimers said attacks happened regularly across the metro, but the hotspots were KwaZakhele, Zwide and New Brighton.
Although they had a panic button on their push-to-talk radios, this was ineffective because criminals targeted them as well.
“By the time we actually get to use the radio, the incident has already occurred.”
And while the other safety measure was having police escorts into danger zones, this also had negative implications, “like the long waiting times, because they have their own work to do as well”.
Private EMS personnel face the same challenges, with attacks taking place regularly.
Bester Emergency Medical Services owner Wesley Bester said their ambulance staff had been attacked several times in the past year.
Patients also suffered because of delays when waiting for SAPS escorts into certain areas, with police often being busy, short-staffed or low on resources.
“Our lives are in danger daily. Criminals are making it difficult for us to do our jobs. And the patients who need us the most suffer the most because of this.”
The brazen attacks on EMS workers in the metro reached breaking point when two paramedics were robbed outside the KwaZakhele Clinic by six gunmen two weeks ago.
Shortly after dropping off a patient at the clinic and making their way back to the ambulance, the paramedics were held at gunpoint, and their personal belongings stolen.
EMS personnel subsequently marched to City Hall, handing over a memorandum to Mayor Gary van Niekerk and calling for safety when attending to emergencies.
Van Niekerk said that even in war-torn countries, EMS personnel could do their jobs unhindered. He promised to collaborate with Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth and to combine resources in efforts to reduce attacks in the townships and northern areas.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Under-fire EMS staff plead for support, safer conditions
EMS crews beaten, shot and robbed
Paramedics attacked while waiting for SAPS escort