Four appear in court for eMbalenhle clinic robbery
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union has called for all stakeholders to actively participate in addressing and preventing incidents of this nature in the future.
Five young men – Steven Pandla (20), Mpendulo Nkosi (20), Thandolwethu Sithole (20), Katlego Mosehla (19) and Sibusiso Hlatshwayo (19) – appeared before the Evander Magistrate’s Court on August 11 for their formal bail hearing.
Their appearance follows their arrest in connection with the robbery at the Paulina Morapeli Clinic in Ext 19, eMbalenhle, on the night of August 1.
According to reports, the suspects allegedly pretended to be seeking help for a terminally ill friend. A security guard provided them with a wheelchair, which they used to wheel the supposed patient into the facility.
Once inside, the suspects drew a firearm and pointed it at the nurses, who fled to safety. The suspects fled with only the wheelchair and the security guard’s uniform, which they forcibly removed.
Following the incident, the MEC for Health in Mpumalanga, Sasekani Manzini, visited the facility on August 4 to offer support to staff. She strongly condemned the attack on healthcare workers, the disruption of essential services, and commended the swift police response.
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Manzini urged communities to protect healthcare professionals by assisting police in ensuring that all suspects are brought to justice. As a safety measure, she announced the temporary suspension of night-shift operations at the clinic, effective immediately, to give staff time to recover from the ordeal.
The facility is now operating from 07:00 to 19:00 daily until further notice, and psychosocial support was provided to affected employees.
The Mpumalanga Department of Health apologised to the public for any inconvenience caused by this measure and thanked the community for its understanding.
During the bail hearing, the investigating officer opposed the suspects’ release, stating that they are a danger to society and that witnesses’ lives could be at risk, especially since they work in a public facility.
He also noted that the clinic no longer operates 24 hours due to the robbery. The suspects face charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances. Their case has been postponed to August 18 for a bail judgment.
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Community reaction
Residents expressed shock and frustration over the attack on a vital health facility. Lizzy Madonsela (66), from Ext 14, said she was stunned when she learned about the robbery.
“I nearly collapsed because I was so shocked by what happened. Clinics are so important for us as a community. Now we face a problem because our clinic runs on limited hours. What will happen if someone needs urgent medical attention at night? This clinic played a pivotal role in saving lives.”
Anita Mkhwebane, a member of the clinic committee, also condemned the attack.
“Clinics are essential service facilities that need to be secured. The same criminals’ parents also attend this treatment facility, yet their children decided to attack it. We hope they will be prosecuted, and that the Department of Health will press charges of stealing a wheelchair so they are sent to jail,” said Mkhwebane.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union has called for all stakeholders to actively participate in addressing and preventing incidents of this nature in the future.
The union’s Govan Mbeki Municipality branch chairperson, Thembinkosi Ngwenya, said the Department of Health should have prioritised this facility when upgrading security measures, similar to what was done at the Ext 4 clinic.
He added that, if budget constraints were an issue in appointing security companies, clauses should have been developed to cater specifically for facilities facing repeated incidents rather than applying a “one-size-fits-all” approach.
“eMbalenhle is different in terms of size, population, and behaviour, so it should be treated as such. The Basic Conditions of Employment Act states that an employer must provide a safe working environment, and in this regard, it is not safe.
“NEHAWU will not tolerate such situations any longer. Our members are a priority and should be regarded as valuable assets by the department.
“We acknowledge the swift response of the MEC and the district team; however, the time has come for the department to take the lead in preventing such incidents. We also call upon the community to guard and protect its health facilities and health workers because we all need them,” said Ngwenya.
