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The Eastern Cape Department of Health strongly condemned the attack on two of its paramedics.
The paramedics, who were tending to a patient in the back of their ambulance, were robbed shortly after 01:00 on Saturday in Khayamnandi, Despatch, says Capt. André Beetge, police spokesperson, in a statement.
Sizwe Kupelo, spokesperson for the provincial health department, told Netwerk24 on Tuesday morning that this was just another example of how the Nelson Mandela Bay metro and the province are burdened by crime.
In his statement, Beetge says that while the two paramedics were attending to the patient in the ambulance, an armed man approached them, threatened them with the firearm and demanded their valuables.
The man robbed the two paramedics of their mobile phones and other personal belongings and then fled on foot.
According to Beetge, the robber also stole a two-way radio from the ambulance.
A source says the radio was found around 04:00 near a car wash in Khayamnandi.
The source also says the paramedics “were shocked and were immediately sent home”.
Beetge says the two paramedics were unharmed. There is no mention of whether the patient was also robbed of any belongings.
The police in Despatch are investigating a case of robbery.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Despatch police station.
