MPUMALANGA – Two emergency medical services workers were attacked and robbed after criminals used road spikes to stop their state ambulance between Steve Biko Academic Hospital and Ermelo on 17 January.
The incident occurred on the night of 17 January as the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crew travelled between the two facilities. Criminals deliberately deployed road spikes to incapacitate the ambulance before launching their assault on the healthcare workers.
Both staff members were safely recovered following swift coordination between EMS Management, the Middelburg Control Centre and the South African Police Service.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) condemned the attack, describing it as a dangerous development in criminal activity targeting public servants.
“To target employees whose sole vocation is the preservation of human life is an act of moral depravity that transcends common criminality,” the PSA said in a statement.
The union said the premeditated nature of the assault represents a serious escalation in attacks against public service workers. The PSA described healthcare workers as increasingly being viewed as “soft targets” by criminal syndicates whilst they fulfil their constitutional mandate.
The organisation has demanded that the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority treat the incident as a priority offence against the state, calling for an intelligence-led search to apprehend the perpetrators and the full application of the law.
The PSA also directed criticism at the Mpumalanga Department of Health, reminding the department of its statutory obligation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act to ensure a safe working environment for employees.
The union called for immediate measures including a comprehensive audit of high-risk transit routes, deployment of tactical escorts for inter-facility transfers, and installation of advanced technological surveillance in all emergency vehicles.
“The PSA will no longer tolerate the status quo where hands that heal are shackled by the fear of being hunted,” the statement read.
The Mpumalanga MEC for Health Sasekani Manzini, also strongly condemned the attack.
“Attacks on emergency medical personnel are unacceptable and place lives at risk. Our paramedics and EMS teams work day and night to save lives under difficult circumstances. They should never be targeted for crime while performing their duties,” Manzini said.
The MEC commended the bravery and composure of the affected personnel and confirmed that the department is working closely with law enforcement to investigate the incident.
Additional safety measures are being assessed for inter-facility transfers, night-time operations and high-risk routes in order to protect EMS personnel and ensure uninterrupted emergency services for communities.
The PSA appealed to Mpumalanga residents to cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies and reject the presence of criminal elements in their communities. The MEC echoed this call, urging communities to assist in safeguarding emergency workers and to report any criminal activities that threaten or disrupt the delivery of healthcare services.
Attacks on emergency medical workers in South Africa have been escalating. In June 2023, an ambulance was hijacked in Kabokweni, Mpumalanga, with emergency personnel sustaining minor injuries after shots were fired. In May 2022, Mpumalanga paramedics were ambushed and their ambulance was stripped of parts worth R300,000.
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness reported that EMS teams in that province had been targeted on 10 occasions in early 2025, leading to disruptions in essential services and traumatised staff.
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