A male nurse, driving a government vehicle with five co-worker passengers, was shot and killed in a hijacking last week in Ndwedwe, KwaZulu-Natal, the second such case in the area.
Another health worker was also recently hijacked on his way back from an outreach programme.
The violence has been condemned by Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu.
“We should never get to a stage where such reprehensible behaviour is regarded as the norm … it has dire and far-reaching emotional and psychological consequences. Families are losing bread-winners and we cannot accept that.”
She told News24 it was concerning that state-issued double-cab bakkies and ambulances appeared to be in high demand by criminals, urging communities to report these syndicates.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Crime adds to burden carried by SA healthcare workers
Paramedics hijacked, robbed in Pretoria
EMS crews beaten, shot and robbed