FF Plus in Gauteng strongly condemns attacks on emergency service personnel

10 May 2021

The FF Plus strongly condemns last Friday's incident in which two emergency service personnel were assaulted and robbed in the Dukathole informal settlement in Germiston.

One of the paramedics was wounded while tending to an injured patient at the scene. Both emergency personnel had to be admitted to hospital for medical treatment. The victim passed away en route to the hospital.

Incidents in which emergency personnel are caught in the crossfire, ambulances are pelted with stones and sharp nails are placed in the road to force ambulances to stop are on the rise. This must not be tolerated.

If these incidents that make it impossible for emergency services to access hot spot areas to treat victims keep increasing, patients whose lives could have been saved may die.

The lives of emergency service personnel are also endangered when they have to work in areas of unrest to treat those who are injured.

The FF Plus will pose urgent questions to the Gauteng MEC for Health, Nonmathemba Mokgethi, about ensuring the safety and security of personnel and ambulances.

Private and public ambulance services are under immense pressure to ensure that patients receive emergency medical treatment and are transported to hospitals as soon as possible.

If one or more ambulances or emergency personnel are unable to work due to being injured or traumatised, it would result in delays that may cost people their lives.

Issued by Anton Alberts, MP, FF Plus 10 May 2021