Ambulance stoned and medics attacked in Lion's River

An ambulance that had been dispatched to Lion's River in KwaZulu-Natal came under attack from an angry mob on Christmas Day.

St Michael's Ambulance Service operations manager Charles Newborn said the mob threw stones and physically hit the ambulance as it approached the patient's house.

“Some very quick thinking from the crews allowed them to rapidly escape the situation. Once the crew escaped the mob they were then pursued by a vehicle from the scene, with numerous occupants. The crew proceeded to Howick police station for safety. Luckily the vehicle following them left after a few kilometres,” he said.

Newborn told TimesLIVE that he did not know the motive for the attack.

“Once at the police station, the crew was informed that they were the second ambulance in the space of 30 minutes to have been in the same situation at the same location. We are thankful that our medics were not injured during this horrific display of violence towards emergency services.

“Our crews were distressed by this incident as they were not able to provide assistance to the patient who needed urgent medical care due to the threat to their own lives,” he said.

TimesLIVE