Healthworkers, patients under siege from criminals

A clinic shut down after a robbery that has left nurses fearful for their safety and 23 cars stolen from hospitals in the past six months.

This is the state of Mpumalanga’s health facilities, which according to union Nehawu highlights the urgent need for the government to give security assurance to its members before reporting for duty.

In the latest incident, healthcare workers have refused to report for duty at the Mthimba clinic near Hazyview  after being robbed at gunpoint last week. Nehawu asked the workers not to show up for duty unless the department of health can guarantee their safety.

According to Mpumalanga police, the three armed men stormed Mthimba clinic on Wednesday afternoon. They allegedly beat up security guards and tied them up before heading to the patients and nurses, robbing them at gunpoint.

A nurse who spoke to Sowetan on condition of anonymity said she was grabbed by her stethoscope, which was around her neck, and her cellphone was taken.

“I’m scared to even go to work because these guys pointed a gun to my face, and that was the first time in my life that a gun was pointed at me,” the nurse said.

Nehawu provincial secretary Welcome Mnisi said they were concerned about the safety of their workers. As a result, they have called for them to not return to work until the union’s meeting with the department of health over security issues.

“The recent attack has sent shock waves among our members, hence we have instructed the workers at Mthimba clinic to down tools until the department has assured us of their safety.

“Not only are we concerned about the safety of staff members but of the patients too because they fall victim due to lack of security. We have sat with the department including former premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, promises we made to secure clinics and hospitals but nothing was done until now,” Mnisi said.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Mpumalanga department of health Dumusan Malamule, said 23 cars including two mobile clinics had been stolen from the province's hospitals over the past six months.

So far, he said, police had only managed to recover three of the vehicles.

Malamule said the stolen vehicles area Toyota Hilux, two Toyota Legends, four Isuzu D Max, four Toyota Avanzas, two mobile clinics, two Ford Rangers,  a Nissan Navara, a Nissan Impendulo, a Nissan UD Truck and a VW Polo.

He said the department had decided to beef up security with armed guards due to the frequency of these incidents.

“Not only are we targeted but we believe some members of society are taking advantage of our facilities. We are trying to increase security and also work with community, safety, security and liaisons department to get us more security in facilities regarded as hotspots.

“As we speak we are installing CCTV cameras at our health facilities. Looking at the number of facilities attacked in the past six months it’s getting out of hand, hence we are calling for the community to help us keep our facilities safe because those facilities are meant to help them,” said Malamule. 

Regarding the Mthimba incident, Malamule said: “The security [guards] were not armed as health facilities are regarded as gun-free zones.

“However, due to the increasing number of incidents, we are to arm the guards."

On April 4, a gang allegedly demanding tenders, stormed the Themba Regional Hospital in Kabokweni, about 30km south of Mthimba clinic.

The gang allegedly disrupted a management meeting and then assaulted doctors, nurses and patients.