The Western Cape Health Department has appealed for information following a vicious attack at the Weltevreden Clinic, which resulted in a paramedic being hospitalised following a robbery.
The shocking incident last Thursday afternoon saw paramedics come under attack in broad daylight by skelms who smashed the windows of the ambulance to access electronics.
Health department spokesperson, Byron La Hoe, says the skelms pounced on the unsuspecting paramedics as they exited the facility in White Hart Lane, The Leagues, at around 3.30pm.
La Hoe says: “Upon exiting the facility, the paramedic who was driving was confronted with a huge blow to the driver side window, which was smashed and gained access to the ambulance.
“He was then assaulted with a weapon, that appeared to be a gun, to the head.”
La Hoe explains that one of the paramedics fought off the assailants after they were robbed of their cellphones and a patient-data terminal.
La Hoe says: “The driving paramedic sustained a very serious injury and was transported to hospital for further care and treatment.”
He says these attacks have implications for services rendered where staff are being robbed.
La Hoe says: “These attacks place an additional burden on the communities our brave staff serve as they [emergency medical services] may now have to wait for police escorts before rendering potentially lifesaving care. Please contact SAPS with any information that could assist in this case.”
Police spokesperson, Captain FC Van Wyk, confirmed the incident and says: “The suspects got in the vehicle and took two cellphones.”