One hurt, ambulances damaged in three attacks on Ekurhuleni emergency services

Three attacks on emergency services personnel from the City of Ekurhuleni over the weekend left a paramedic injured, while two ambulances are out of service due to damage caused.

William Ntladi, spokesperson for Ekurhuleni Emergency and Disaster Services, said a paramedic was taken to hospital after an attack in Tokoza, while two ambulances were decommissioned due to broken windows caused by members of the communities in Reiger Park and Ramaphosa Informal Settlement respectively.

A member of the community, who was among a group of about 50 people in Empilisweni Informal Settlement in Tokoza, attacked a paramedic just before he got into a response vehicle after he had declared a patient dead on Friday.

The paramedic rushed to Tokoza Police Station to report the matter, after which he was taken to Union Hospital for a medical check-up. He was discharged the same night.

Also on Friday night, an ambulance was ambushed and its window shattered in Ramaphosa Informal Settlement in Boksburg. A patient was on board, being transported to Tambo Memorial Hospital, during the attack, said Ntladi. Fortunately, no injuries were recorded.

On Sunday, a patient tried to strangle a paramedic while he attended to him in an ambulance in Reiger Park. The paramedic managed to free himself and jumped out of the ambulance.

The patient and his accomplices followed the crew with one attacker wielding a knife. They stoned the ambulance and a window was broken. The crew managed to escape from the scene without much physical harm.

The cases were reported to the police.

“The City of Ekurhuleni is pleading with the public not to attack emergency personnel.  An emergency vehicle that is decommissioned due to damage may take a long period before it is returned to service, and that might affect members of the community who may need emergency services during such period,” said Ntladi.