Image:Twitter @SAPoliceService
Four linked to Carolina Hospital attack arrested
Mpumalanga Police go all out to ensure safety in hospitals by assembling specialist investigators to look into the hospital attacks.
Image:Twitter @SAPoliceService
Healthcare facilities have become the latest targets for criminals in Mpumalanga, as two facilities were attacked in the same week earlier this month. Police have however made a breakthrough in one of the cases.
POLICE ASSEMBLE SPECIALISTS TO TRACK DOWN CRIMINALS
In the first incident, on the 17 June, Carolina Hospital was attacked by criminals who initially seemed help for their partner who had been injured in a tavern brawl. He however succumbed to his injuries. Upon hearing the news, the criminals then turned to vandalise the hospital, breaking equipment and robbing staff and patients of their belongings.
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In order to quickly nip the attacks in the bud, a specialist team of investigators was brought to bring the suspects to book. Police have since arrested four suspects between the ages of 17 and 21 for the attack of the hospital.
A cellphone believed to have been taken during robbery was recovered during the arrests.
Provincial Commissioner Semakaleng Manamel has condemned the attack on health workers and health facilities.
“We cannot allow our health facilities as well as the workers thereof to be working in fear of lawless individuals who parade themselves as gangsters thereby instilling fear amongst the communities. That will have to stop and it will never be allowed as long as we as the police are here”, says Manamela.
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“We are working very hard to ensure that each one of those that were involved in attacking our health facilities especially in the incidents that were recently reported. We will not rest until we bring each one of them to justice like we did with these four suspects”, she adds.
MEC CALLS ATTACK ON HOSPITALS ‘BARBARIC’
In the second incident, armed criminals attacked security personnel on duty at Phola Nsikazi Community Health Center(CHC) in Mbombela, stealing security equipment including handcuffs. They then proceeded to hijack an ambulance inside the premises, that was returning from a call out.
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A male paramedic that tried to escape was shot on the leg and left at the scene. They then took off with the female paramedic, who managed to escape while the criminals were attempting to locate the ambulance tracker.
“The last time I visited the CHC issues of security were raised and immediately the department erected palisade fence on top of the current fencing. We installed a security gate plus a boom gate, turnstile and CCTV cameras”, says Manzini.
Soon after the incident, Health MEC Sasekani Manzini visited the facility has condemned the acts of violence in health facilities.
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“Health facilities are built to provide healthcare services to the communities not to fight criminals. People must refrain from attacking health officials and steal the little scarce resources we are having for their own barbaric interest”, says Manzini.
