Nurse stabbed by two men at Helen Joseph Hospital

A male nurse at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg is in a stable condition after being attacked by two men in the hospital parking lot. 

According to Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba, the nurse was stabbed on the abdomen on Monday. 

The assailants are alleged to have approached the nurse who went outside for a break and attempted to rob him of his cellphone before stabbing him.

Before this, the two men are alleged to have been unruly at the hospital’s accident and emergency department.

“They violently demanded hospital staff immediately attend to their friend while [the staff were] busy with patients who came first and had more severe injuries.

“The two men also argued with staff and other [people] who accompanied patients at the accident and emergency department.

“One of them became violent and slapped a [person] accompanying a patient. Security personnel at the hospital intervened and the culprits fled the scene after their attempt to rob the health worker failed,” Modiba said. 

Gauteng health and wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko condemned the attack, calling the perpetrators   criminals masquerading as [friends] of the injured patient.

She said it was disgraceful that people who came to seek help for their friend, who had a stab wound to his hand, could “turn around and harm those meant to help them”.

“We condemn this act of hooliganism and criminality and implore the police to track down the attackers as the incident was captured on CCTV cameras,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said. 

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.