State of emergency: Violent attacks take heavy toll on angels of mercy

Many of the more than 1 500 emergency medical services workers in Western Cape are wondering how much longer they can go on helping the sick and injured, and putting out fires, when with every trip into a ‘red zone’ they are likely to be shot at or knifed by psychopaths after their phones and cash

A window was smashed and shortly afterwards the 26-year-old paramedic was booked off  for three months, during which she underwent extensive psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Gallow returned to work a few days ago, rejoining 1,500 Western Cape  Emergency Medical Services colleagues who have become popular targets for Cape Flats robbers demanding cellphones and money.

Now the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) has written to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, asking him to intervene in the “severe safety crisis” which saw 100 attacks on EMS staff last year. 

This comes on the heels of an appeal by the Health & Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa) to Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo. In its letter the union said at least 50 employees were receiving psychological treatment after these violent incidents.

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Many attacks have also been reported in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, according to the unions.

Motsoaledi’s spokesman, Joe Maila, decried what he called a societal problem and called on communities to unite against such attacks, because “we cannot afford them”.

Maila acknowledged that many EMS staff were likely to suffer from PTSD.

In the Western Cape, police escort ambulances to areas dubbed “red zones”. In other areas, including Hanover Park and Nyanga, paramedics have adopted “load-and-go” methods, meaning patients are immediately put into ambulances which drive off as soon as possible.

And it is not only EMS staff who are under fire; last Monday, (23 Jan) fire-fighters were ambushed in Gugulethu.

The City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and social services, JP Smith, said in the last three-and-a-half months there had been:

• Five incidents in which fire engines were stoned;

• Seven attacks on metro police officers and traffic officers; and

• At least two assaults on law enforcement officers over the festive season while they were confiscating alcohol.

A clinic in  Hanover Park has shut its doors at night due to safety concerns. The Western Cape Department of Health said the most recent incident occurred on November 30, when “shots were fired in the main courtyard and at the main gate of the hospital”. A security guard was injured .

Hospersa Western Cape chairman Michael Serelina said: “To date, there are more than 50 employees receiving post-traumatic stress treatment from these attacks.

“Even worse, members are expected to pay for this [treatment] from their own pockets.  The reason for this is that such injuries are not covered by the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Disease Act.

“We want the MEC to intervene in easing the financial burden on the affected members. We want the employer to take an active role in ensuring affected members receive the necessary support.”

The MEC's spokeswoman, Zimkhitha Mquteni, acknowledged receipt of the letter. She said treatment and support were available under the provincial employee assistance programme, and  post-trauma counselling was available at short notice. Counselling sessions were also available to all staff, even if they were not work related.

Gallow said her first day back at work went well. “All we want from the communities is to feel respected and safe when we are there treating their family members,” she said.

“We are human too and we do have families to go home to after a long 12-hour shift.”

sub_head_start Fighting to stay alive to keep you alive sub_head_end

Last year more than 100 Emergency Medical Services personnel were attacked. These are some of their stories…

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Paramedic Rushaana Gallow, 26, from Mitchells Plain, has just returned to work after three months off duty for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

"Growing up, I dreamed of being in the medical field and helping people. Working for EMS was easier and safer. Two or three years ago that changed. 

"Myself and my partner responded to a call in Tafelsig. As we were preparing things in the ambulance, a group of guys with knives and a gun got into our ambulance as if they belonged there. They took all our personal belongings, phones, money.

"The one guy searched me and opened my shirt to check if I had any money hidden in my bra.

"We were both scared. All I could do was pray and hope that they wouldn't rape me or hurt us. They ran when they heard footsteps. Up until today no arrests have been made as the community was too scared to get involved. After the incident we stayed on duty.

" In 2013 I was shot. We were standing in Compassberg Road, Tafelsig in a metro bakkie. I was with an officer when they just started shooting. According to the community it was gang war and we were in the middle of it. I was brought to the District hospital in Lentegeur. The wound was cleaned and I received injections.

"My parents are freaked out whenever I'm on duty. They've asked me to change careers.

"In October 2016 we were stoned on the R300. A window was smashed and I ended up with scratches in my face. Since then I've been seeing a doctor for post-traumatic stress disorder. I believe that all EMS staff suffer with it but cope differently.

"Despite everything that is happening and the fact that none of the EMS staff feel safe, we still get up at 4am and go to work to help the sick, injured and dying … even the patients who call for an ambulance just because they are lonely and seek some company.”

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Father-of-two Pedro Daniels, 36, works mainly in Retreat, Lavender Hill and Capricorn

"My partner, Lance Adams, and I were dispatched to a call in Capricorn. The patient was a female who had been stabbed in the upper leg and arm and was bleeding profusely from her wounds.

"We got her into the ambulance and started treating her when suddenly a man opened the door. He was bleeding from the eye. Our patient became frantic and started panicking because this was the man who stabbed her.

"He tried to force his way into the ambulance. I blocked him and shoved him away, closing the door.

"He picked up a half-brick to smash the back window, but an elderly lady managed to talk him out of it.

"A minute after this my partner called the guy and explained to him that he must never threaten an ambulance practitioner as we are there to help the community and offered to help him again. He bandaged the wound properly.

"We drove off with our patient but arranged for another ambulance for the gentleman."

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Father-of-one Papinki Lebelo, 44, moved to Cape Town in 1983. He is worried about the fact that his son wants to follow him into the paramedic profession

"At midnight on December 26 we arrived at an address in Crossroads. We were escorted by police to an unconscious patient with multiple stab wounds. When we got there the patient had left. The police made a U-turn and left us.

"A guy came from nowhere and opened the driver's door and pushed a knife against my throat, demanding money and my cellphone. I felt shocked and vulnerable. I gave him the cellphone and he disappeared.

"That was the scariest experience in my life. I'm thinking of leaving this department with all these crimes against us medics. And it is getting worse. I have a family to look after and my family comes first.”

Daniel Tilley, 28, originally from Ballito in KwaZulu-Natal, moved to George five years ago

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"We were sent out to a three-year-old who had been attacked by a pit-bull in Syferfontein, an informal settlement on the outskirts of Pacaltsdorp.

"My partner and began to envision the possible problems that could be present, but nothing we imagined prepared us for what we found. A man in poor clothing ran out of the house with an almost lifeless little boy wrapped in a towel.

"As we started with assessment we began to discover the horror of a relentless attack by a pit-bull kept chained up, day in and day out, bread to fight, bread to make money, bread to kill.

"The boy had a laceration behind his left ear. It was about 10cm long and showed muscle tissue and spinal bone. The left ear was hanging by the lobe. The left eye was gashed open with teeth marks in the eye itself. The forehead had numerous teeth marks and lacerations.

"While my partner was stopping the bleeding I began to clean the boy’s arm to find a vein for IV administration. The boy was lifeless, not a moan, not a cry, not a word.

"En route to hospital, after his pain had subsided the boy began to talk to his parents. He smiled and began to talk continuously as if nothing had happened.

“As the tears ran down my face I realised that it doesn’t matter how many gun shots, assaults, heart attacks or accidents I have been to, nothing prepares you for trauma in children and the responsibility you have.”

Anonymous paramedic with eight years' service

"I am a qualified advanced life support paramedic working in Khayelitsha. Recently we have been having trouble with attacks on our ambulances. This has led to us being uncomfortable about going to certain areas.

"We have had cases where our crew members were attacked and robbed of their personal belongings such as wallets, cellphones and jewellery. These incidents mostly happened while attending to a patient in the back of the ambulance or while searching for an address."

Two EMS staff in Khayelitsha who also spoke anonymously

Paramedic 1

"As we were trying to assist a patient to get into the ambulance I heard my partner talking loudly and saying, 'Please don't shoot me, I will give you a phone.' They took his phone and they gun-pointed me asking for a cellphone.

"I couldn't find it in my pockets and I told him to check in front of the ambulance. While he was checking there, I had a chance to remember where I put my phone. Then I gave it to him and he walked away slowly. 

"We told control about the incident and loaded the patient. Luckily the patient's daughter said she knew them, and that is how they were caught by police the next day.

"I still want to work for metro but I am emotionally drained. I'm scared day and night ... you go to work not knowing if you will come back alive ... this thing is getting worse instead of improving. I'm scared because it's not guaranteed it won't happen again."

Paramedic 2

"Early one morning on our way to Somerset West, we saw two or three ladies stopping us. We took a U-turn and stopped at a bus stop. We saw an old lady bleeding profusely. 

"While we were helping her someone put something on my back, and when I turned I saw a gun. The guy shouted for my cellphone and wallet.

"I screamed in shock and begged him not to shoot. My partner heard me and looked out of the door, and that is when the robbers turned the gun on her, demanding her belongings. The patient ran to the open field with her daughter. They took our cellphones and walked away. We managed to load the patient again because we couldn't leave her behind."