The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) advised that Tembisa Hospital is temporarily closed after a shooting at the hospital this morning.

It has since been stated that an enrolled nursing assistant was shot and killed and a second person, a man believed to be a policeman, is in a critical condition.

“Shortly after 08:00 a police officer entered the hospital driving a state vehicle with blue lights and parked at the accident and emergency department’s parking lot,” Motalatale Modiba from GDoH said.

“The man called his partner, who was on duty at the time, to come to the parking lot. Upon arrival, the police officer shot the enrolled nursing assistant and turned the gun on himself. The nurse died on the scene while the officer is in a critical condition,” Modiba said.

He advised patients needing access to health care services to visit nearby health facilities as the hospital remains inaccessible following the shooting.

“Given the tragic incident, the hospital is not in a position to receive the public. Calls are being diverted to nearby health care facilities to allow the police to work and for the debriefing and counselling of staff and patients,” said Modiba.

“Patients admitted at the facility continue to receive care. The public will be notified when the facility reopens later today.”