Cape Town - Paramedics rushing to offer emergency medical services (EMS) say they fear for their lives when entering certain areas.
An EMS crew were left shaken after being pelted with stones in Browns Farm, Philippi, at the weekend.
The paramedics had loaded a patient who sustained a gunshot wound and were about to leave when they were attacked.
The ambulance’s rear window was shattered, said EMS spokesperson Robert Daniels.
The attack came days after two paramedics were robbed at gunpoint - also in Philippi.
There have been 70 incidents in the past 12 months, according to the provincial ealth Department.
Traumatised paramedics, who asked not to be identified, spoke of having to be escorted when entering gang-ridden areas.
They believed crews were attacked because criminals were after the Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) device installed in ambulances. Areas such as Nyanga, Philippi and Gugulethu were regarded as dangerous, they said.
One of the paramedics involved in on Sunday’s incident said two suspects tried to force open the ambulance doors.
“The driver of the ambulance pulled away, but a stone was thrown through the back window, almost hitting the crew member and the patient in the back. The driver reported what sounded like shots when he sped away,” she said.
Another EMS paramedic is considering a transfer to the Eastern Cape.
“We feel vulnerable. People see us as targets. It is very difficult to work in such an environment. Sometimes you feel scared of entering some houses because you don’t know if you going to come out alive,” she said.
Trade union Hospersa general secretary Noel Desfontaines said: “Our members are really hopeless and frustrated now. Some actually suggested downing tools until the employer comes up with something to protect their lives.”
Cape Times