An ambulance hijacked almost every day in KZN 

15 August 2016

The DA in KZN strongly condemns the actions of criminals who this weekend hijacked, robbed and abandoned three senior female nurses travelling home from at outreach project near Empangeni. We urge police in our province to work hard to bring the perpetrators of these acts to book.

The incident follows a joint meeting of the KZN Health and Finance portfolio committees on Friday last week where Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo reported that an ambulance is hijacked almost every day in KZN. The MEC also confirmed an increase in the number of reports of hijackings and attacks on healthcare providers. 

These are truly shocking statistics.

This problem is not unique to KZN.  Health workers are also being targeted in the Western Cape. In this case though, Western Cape Health Minister Nomafrench Mbombo has committed to meeting with her cabinet colleagues to take immediate action and present an action plan involving all stakeholders.  

The DA in KZN expects MEC Dhlomo cabinet to do more than just express concern. 

The fact that he is currently also the acting MEC for Community Safety and Liaison, while MEC Kaunda is away, facilitates his engaging with both departments to ensure that everything is done to stop this senseless criminal activity.

We expect the MEC to present a plan for KZN which includes more than just a temporary arrangement with security accompanying health staff. It is unacceptable that those who are responsible for saving lives should have their own safety compromised on a daily basis.

Issued by Imran Keeka, DA KZN Spokesperson on Health, 15 August 2016