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24 January 2025
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Limpopo medic cornered by mob on New Year’s Day
A New Year's Day rampage by drunk youths went viral. “I feared for my life, said the paramedic. I could have been hurt or killed.” This is what a shaken Limpopo paramedic described his encounter with a group of drunk youngsters who were wildly celebrating the new year in the early hours on 1 January 2025.
The emergency worker with a 19-year-old experience as a paramedic said the group, who were still drinking alcohol, blocked and shook his ambulance as they kicked and also danced on it.
A clip of the incident went viral on social media. It shows some of the youngsters holding what appeared to be alcohol bottles and running after the ambulance whose doors had opened as it sped away. Other people are heard cheering in the background.
The 50-year-old man said he would seek professional help to deal with the trauma he has experienced. “I asked myself what could have happened because they were kicking the doors. I could have been hurt or killed. I am badly affected. I'm going to see a doctor. It is going to be difficult for me to go that side [area of attack] again, until the police arrest them and ensure it never happens again.”
The department of health in Limpopo condemned the incident, describing it as “barbaric”. “As a department, we are both appalled and deeply disappointed by this incident,” said spokesperson Neil Shikwambana. “Our personnel must be able to operate freely and safely while responding to emergencies, so they can effectively assist the community members who rely on emergency services.”
The man, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of further attack, said he started his shift at 7pm on 31 December 2024 and had to pick up a renal patient at around 10pm from her home at Ntwane village in Dennilton., as she was having complications. He then rushed her to hospital where she was released a few hours later after being stabilised.
On his way to the woman's house just before 5am, he said he came across a group of people who had gathered on the streets after the tavern they had been drinking at closed. The group moved to the side, giving him space to pass.
However, problems started when he returned.
The man said the revellers intentionally blocked his path, refusing to him to pass. Nearby, he said, was a car playing loud music and some of the people who looked like they were minors jumped on top of the ambulance and started dancing on it. At some point, he said, he noticed that the crowd had opened the ambulance doors at the back.
“I wondered what could have happened if they had smashed the vehicle with their bottles of liquor. So, I was shaken a bit but then I thought they were just dancing,” he said.
He said a security guard who lives in the area and was nearby at the time helped him to clear the traffic.
The man said he drove about 400m away from the crowd to inspect the vehicle which, he said was not damaged but had scratches. He then closed the doors and drove away. “When I arrived at the station I was fine. But it was only after I saw the video [of the incident] circulating two days later when I started being traumatised and had realised that I was in real danger.
Limpopo Police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said a case of malicious damage to property was being investigated and that no one has been arrested yet.
The South African Emergency Personnel’s Union (SAEPU) said it was outraged and deeply disturbed by the incident.
“We shudder to think of the devastating consequences had there been a patient on board. The lives of both the patient and emergency personnel would have been placed in grave danger. We are truly appalled by this reckless and selfish behaviour displayed by the community members involved in this incident,” said SAEPU president Mpho Mpogeng.
Source: SowetanLIVE
The emergency worker with a 19-year-old experience as a paramedic said the group, who were still drinking alcohol, blocked and shook his ambulance as they kicked and also danced on it.
A clip of the incident went viral on social media. It shows some of the youngsters holding what appeared to be alcohol bottles and running after the ambulance whose doors had opened as it sped away. Other people are heard cheering in the background.
The 50-year-old man said he would seek professional help to deal with the trauma he has experienced. “I asked myself what could have happened because they were kicking the doors. I could have been hurt or killed. I am badly affected. I'm going to see a doctor. It is going to be difficult for me to go that side [area of attack] again, until the police arrest them and ensure it never happens again.”
The department of health in Limpopo condemned the incident, describing it as “barbaric”. “As a department, we are both appalled and deeply disappointed by this incident,” said spokesperson Neil Shikwambana. “Our personnel must be able to operate freely and safely while responding to emergencies, so they can effectively assist the community members who rely on emergency services.”
The man, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of further attack, said he started his shift at 7pm on 31 December 2024 and had to pick up a renal patient at around 10pm from her home at Ntwane village in Dennilton., as she was having complications. He then rushed her to hospital where she was released a few hours later after being stabilised.
On his way to the woman's house just before 5am, he said he came across a group of people who had gathered on the streets after the tavern they had been drinking at closed. The group moved to the side, giving him space to pass.
However, problems started when he returned.
The man said the revellers intentionally blocked his path, refusing to him to pass. Nearby, he said, was a car playing loud music and some of the people who looked like they were minors jumped on top of the ambulance and started dancing on it. At some point, he said, he noticed that the crowd had opened the ambulance doors at the back.
“I wondered what could have happened if they had smashed the vehicle with their bottles of liquor. So, I was shaken a bit but then I thought they were just dancing,” he said.
He said a security guard who lives in the area and was nearby at the time helped him to clear the traffic.
The man said he drove about 400m away from the crowd to inspect the vehicle which, he said was not damaged but had scratches. He then closed the doors and drove away. “When I arrived at the station I was fine. But it was only after I saw the video [of the incident] circulating two days later when I started being traumatised and had realised that I was in real danger.
Limpopo Police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said a case of malicious damage to property was being investigated and that no one has been arrested yet.
The South African Emergency Personnel’s Union (SAEPU) said it was outraged and deeply disturbed by the incident.
“We shudder to think of the devastating consequences had there been a patient on board. The lives of both the patient and emergency personnel would have been placed in grave danger. We are truly appalled by this reckless and selfish behaviour displayed by the community members involved in this incident,” said SAEPU president Mpho Mpogeng.
Source: SowetanLIVE