Johannesburg – Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel in Mabopane, Tshwane, on Monday said they lived in fear of being attacked or killed following a spate of attacks on paramedics.
They said members of the noble profession had become the victims of criminals and gangs.
Gauteng Health MEC Dr Gwen Ramokgopa on Monday met the staff and management of Odi EMS, based in Mabopane, to discuss the scourge.
Her visit was to assess the impact of attacks on emergency personnel and services. She also paid tribute to slain paramedic Chris Kekana, who was shot dead in March while on duty.
“May 1 is international Workers Day, a day to acknowledge and remember workers from all sectors, more especially those who died in uniform and on duty. They too must be remembered for their relentless contribution to society. My heart bleeds for what they did to Kekana,” said Ramokgopa.
EMS staff took Ramokgopa to the scene of Kekana’s shooting – a stone’s throw from their base.
They told the MEC that since Kekana’s death, they feared that they too could be attacked, threatened with guns, assaulted or have their ambulances stoned.
She said killing a paramedic was worse than killing a policeman, because police had an opportunity to defend themselves, whereas paramedics had no form of protection because the focus was not on conflict but on saving lives.
Ramokgopa called on the community to protect EMS vehicles and healthcare workers, while they highlighted the lack of proper lighting, police visibility and social ills like drug abuse plaguing the area. These, they said, were the major contributing factors to crime.