CAPE TOWN - ER24 paramedics and law enforcement were attacked by Hout Bay residents while assisting an eight-year-old child injured in a car accident.
ER24 spokesperson, Russel Meiring condemned the attack on Wednesday night.
“An eight-year-old boy was injured when he was struck by a light motor vehicle at the East Fort and Oude Skip Intersection in Hout Bay.
“ER24 arrived shortly after 8.20pm to find local security services and local authorities already in attendance.”
On closer inspection, medics found a child lying on the side of the road with his mother and father.
The vehicle that struck the child stopped a short distance away.
“Medics assessed the child and found that he had sustained only moderate injuries,” said Meiring.
The child was treated and loaded into the ER24 ambulance for transportation to a nearby hospital.
“As the ambulance was leaving the scene, community members began throwing rocks at the emergency vehicles, smashing the rear window of the ambulance, and damaging a security vehicle.
“Fortunately, neither the patient nor the ER24 medics sustained any further injuries,” he said.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said Hout Bay police are investigating public violence.
Hout Bay Community Crime Prevention (CCP) said on Wednesday at around 8:15pm, they received a call regarding a young child that had been knocked by a car.
“Immediately, members of our team sprang to and went to help out.
“ER24 staff were also contacted as the child needed transport to the hospital.
“While the teams were loading the patient, City of Cape Town law enforcement arrived to do structure removals.
“And as the medical team was trying to leave the area, members of the community unleashed a volley of rocks onto the vehicles causing extensive damage,” the organisation said, adding that a rock narrowly missed one of the emergency staff.
“We cannot express how deeply disappointing it is to have this happen to the people who are placing themselves at risk to bring help to the people who need it,” said the CCP.
Anyone with information on the incident can anonymously contact CrimeStop on 08600 10111 or sms Crimeline on 32211.