The KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has strongly condemned the killing of a nurse in a hijacking incident on Wednesday.
The incident took place in Ndwedwe in the iLembe District Municipality.
According to the health department the male nurse was driving a state vehicle with five other healthcare professionals.
“They were on their way to a training session in Durban, when they were approached by a gunman who opened fire and forced them out of the vehicle before driving off,” the department said.
“The nurse was shot three times and rushed to Appelsbosch Hospital, where he sadly succumbed to his injuries.”
The department said in another similar incident, also in the Ndwedwe area, a healthcare worker was also hijacked while coming back from an outreach programme recently.
“The perpetrators held him at gunpoint before taking his belongings, including mobile phones, before driving in with the state vehicle.”
Simelane said they were “shocked and appalled” by the alarming rate of the seemingly targeted hijacking of health service state vehicles, as well as the killing of health workers.
“It is brutal and completely unacceptable. We would like to convey our sincere condolences to the family of the demised nurse and will also arrange for psychological counselling for the other health workers who witnessed these gruesome and disturbing incidents,” Simelane said.
“Seemingly, the same modus operandi is being used, in which department of health vehicles are being targeted, mainly in the Ndwedwe area,” she said.
“The first vehicle that was hijacked was a Toyota Etios. And during yesterday’s incident, a seven-seater Suzuki Ertiga was taken. It is quite well-known what these types of vehicles are mainly used for.”
Simelane called on law enforcement to act swiftly.
“We should never get to a stage where such reprehensible behaviour is regarded as the norm in our society, because it has dire and far-reaching emotional and psychological consequences,” Simelane said.
“Families are losing bread-winners, and we cannot accept that.”
IOL News