Parliament’s Select Committee on Social Services has condemned the growing number of attacks on emergency medical service (EMS) personnel while they are on duty.
The committee noted in a statement that criminals target EMS personnel while they are delivering lifesaving services to the people.
“It is deeply saddening that as a result of these awful attacks‚ an eight-year-old boy died following an attack on an ambulance transporting him to hospital‚” said Cathy Dlamini‚ the committee’s chairperson.
She said the committee was of the view that the more than 30 attacks on EMS personnel in the Western Cape this year so far were unacceptable and called for a comprehensive strategy on how to deal with these attacks.
“The full might of the law must be applied to the thugs that continue to terrorise communities and EMS personnel‚” Dlamini said.
She added that the community must also play a pivotal role in the fight against criminality‚ as the police could not win the fight without the assistance of the community.
The committee applauded EMS personnel for continuing to offer their services despite the challenges they face.
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