LIMPOPO – The Department of Health on Tuesday, 89 March announced the temporary closure of WF Knobel Hospital. Staff at the hospital were assaulted and hospital property damaged during a recent service delivery protest.
The functionality of the hospital has been damaged and in an effort to ensure the safety of patients and healthcare workers at the facility, the department took the decision to close their doors util further notice, reads a statement issued by the department.
The department added that when the situation normalises the reopening will be communicated.
On Monday, 8 March the protesters marched into the hospital and assaulted staff, damaged government property and deprived residents of their right to access healthcare.
The incident was part of ongoing service delivery protests in the area in which residents blockaded the roads to the hospital and denied healthcare workers and emergency vehicles to enter or exit the premises. AT the time, the department were forced to evacuate patients and hospital staff to nearby healthcare facilities, to ensure their safety.
Transport and Community Safety MEC, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya has since condemned the actions of yesterday and called the attack on hospital staff barbaric and criminal.
“It is concerning that the ongoing acts of violence during service delivery protests targets government property and public servants. Yesterday’s attack was just one of many incidents where public property is used as a bargaining tool by criminals who masquerade as community leaders and hijack genuine community protests for their selfish gain.”
She added that communities have the right to protest but it must be done within the ambits of law. “If people are protesting about the condition of the road how will assaulting staff and vandalising property benefit them.”
Lerule-Ramakhanya concluded that those responsible will be held accountable for the damages caused.
