Attacks on emergency personnel in the suburbs of Cape Town are still happening on a regular basis, raising concerns for staff safety.
Also read: Cape Town paramedic shot in chest during call out
In Macassar last week, firefighters were stoned, and over the weekend, gunmen opened fire on an ambulance crew near Elsies River.
Just after 3pm on Saturday, the gunmen opened fire on the ambulance carrying emergency medical services (EMS) personnel who were responding to a cry for help in Avonwood, according to the Western Cape Health and Wellness Department.
‘We cannot report the damage to the vehicle at the moment, but we can confirm that both crew members are thankfully, unharmed but are traumatised by the ordeal,’ said EMS spokesperson Megan Davids.
According to Davids, staff wellness and support services have been made available to the impacted personnel, and the matter has been reported to police for additional action.
In order to allow EMS personnel to properly perform their jobs, Davids pleaded on communities to guarantee their safety.
‘Safeguarding EMS staff is a collective duty of the community. While, through our Employee Wellness Programme, a safety and security framework is in place to address potential threats, which includes measures such as SAPS escort protocols in high-risk areas, it’s clear that we cannot do this without community participation.’
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‘When communities actively assist us in improving EMS safety in their respective areas, the EMS can perform their duties effectively and safely in the community, without fear or interference.’
For a reaction, emergency services spokesperson FC van Wyk received questions about the situation from the police spokesperson.
According to Jermaine Carelse, a spokesman for Fire and Rescue Services, Khayelitsha firefighters were attacked in Macassar last Wednesday.
Emergency officials were working around the clock in the aftermath of the severe weather and reports of disasters throughout the City.
According to Carelse, staff were called to a house fire in Macassar Village’s Gail Arendse Street at 4:30pm.
He claimed that teams from Bellville, Mfuleni and Khayelitsha had been sent to the area.
‘Upon the arrival of the crews from Khayelitsha, members of the community stoned the fire engine.’
‘Stones were directly thrown at the driver and officer – substantial damages was caused, and the crew had to withdraw from the area,’ Carelse said.
The affected workers were given counselling, and a priest was sent to the Khayelitsha Fire Station to see them.
JP Smith, a safety and security Mayco member, stated that services must be suspended in the event that one of the City’s specialty vehicles is attacked.
‘If these things are damaged you have to get specialised parts and that can take months. In the meantime, fire engines from surrounding fire stations have to stand in.’
‘It will have a knock-on effect, and the worst for everybody is that staff are traumatised or injured.’
‘That is why we ask for people who have information around such actions to call the tipoff line,’ Smith said.
Carelse added: ‘Our firefighters put their lives on the line to save lives and property. I urge our communities to report the perpetrators of these acts of violence. We condemn them in the strongest possible terms.’
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