Residents urged to help protect paramedics
Ramokgopa said residents have a role to play in protecting paramedics from criminals.
Residents of Mabopane have been urged to help protect paramedics responding to emergencies and patients in high-risk areas in the township.
Speaking during her visit to area on May day, Gauteng MEC for health Dr Gwen Ramokgopa said residents had a role to play in protecting paramedics from criminals.
“We urge members of the community to come forward with information that could lead to [the] apprehension of perpetrators in this regard and help us stop the killings,” added Dr Ramokgopa.
Ramokgopa made the appeal after paramedics told her that they felt unsafe carrying out their duties in certain areas in the community following the killing of one of their colleagues, Chris Kekana.
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Kekana was killed while on duty when he, and three other colleagues stopped by a nearby tuck shop to buy food.
They were accosted by robbers and Kekana was killed.
Paramedics told Ramokgopa that time was wasted while they waited for a police escort into the area because they feared going on their own.
“Sometimes you have to wait for over an hour for the police to arrive, and by the time you get to the scene the person has died,” said one paramedic.
Ramokgopa said she decided to visit the Odi Emergency Medical Services in Mabapone to give EMS officers a word of comfort.
The MEC later visited Kekana’s family and the murder scene.
“This was a move to pledge support to our paramedics and appreciate efforts and the good work they do for our sick people out there,” she said.
ALSO READ: Paramedic killed during armed robbery
She also highlighted her department’s plan to curb the killings of paramedics.
Ramokgopa said killing a paramedic was worse than killing a policeman, because the police had an opportunity to defend themselves, whereas paramedics had no form of protection.
“Paramedics’ focus was not on conflict but on saving lives,” she said.
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