MEC of Health shocked by brazen display of violence at Clairwood Hospital shooting
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu has expressed deep concern and strong condemnation of the ‘execution-style’ fatal shooting style of a patient.
THE brazen shooting of a hospitalised patient at Clairwood Hospital on Friday, 10 January is something most people described as a horrific movie scene.
It is alleged that two gunmen stormed past hospital security guards, and proceeded to locate the 47-year-old man in his bed, and shot him in the head at point blank range, in full view of other patients and hospital staff. The Department of Health further disclosed that the suspects also forced their way out of the hospital by pointing guns at the hospital security guards.
According to KZN police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala the victim sustained a gunshot wound to the head. “The matter is still under investigation. A case of murder is being investigated by Montclair SAPS,” she added. Montclair police spokesperson, Captain Dereck Vijiam confirmed that the suspects are still at large and no arrests have been made at this point.
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu has expressed deep concern and strong condemnation of the ‘execution-style’ fatal shooting style of a patient.
“The patient, a foreign national, was being treated for previous gunshot wounds, and had been transferred from King Edward VIII Hospital to Clairwood on 23 December 2019, for wound care and rehabilitation. It is alleged that after fatally wounding him, the suspects walked back to their vehicle and drove off.
“By that time, security guards had tried to close the main hospital gate. But the assailants threatened to shoot them, and then proceeded to force open the gate themselves, before fleeing from the scene. The matter was immediately reported to the police,” read a statement from the KZN Health MEC.
Reacting to the incident, MEC Simelane-Zulu said: “We send our condolences to the family of the deceased. We are obviously shocked at this brazen display of violence right inside a healthcare facility. It is a flagrant disregard for the law, and a display of the ruthlessness of the criminal element in our society.
“Although it is not always possible to predict an incident of this nature, which appears well-planned, the fact that these perpetrators were able to escape without getting apprehended by security or law enforcement does call into question our preparedness as a department to react effectively to such acts.
“It means that our system is not as effective as we would have liked to think. Notwithstanding the fact that these people were armed, and that they also threatened our security guards, we should have had a system in place that ought to have made it difficult for them to get away. We will have to urgently re-look at our security protocols and make improvements as far as possible, within our limited financial means.”
The Department has offered counselling to staff and patients who witnessed the incident.
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