THREE senior Ngwelezana Hospital nurses are counting their blessings after they were hijacked on Wednesday.
The trio were travelling back to Ngwelezana after conducting an outreach programme in Ntambanana when they were overtaken by another vehicle.
Three armed men jumped out of the car after blocking the road and forcing the nurses to come to a dead stop.
‘They demanded valuables from the nurses, taking their cellphones, bank cards as well as jewellery,’ said spokesperson for KZN Health MEC, Desmond Motha.
‘The nurses were then pushed into the middle seat of their Kombi and told to keep their eyes closed.’
The hijackers then drove the Kombi deep into the bush where two more suspects joined them.
‘The suspects offloaded all the medical equipment, dumping it in the bushes.
‘One of the hijacked nurses says the Kombi was then driven away and they were left in the bush with the other two suspects.
‘She says they were kept there, freezing and afraid, until around 8pm,’ said Motha.
Even though they were unharmed, one nurse told how one of the assailants asked to have sex with her, but she told him that she was HIV positive.
‘Later on they were pushed deep into the bush and left on their own. They walked until they found some houses where they summoned help.
KZN Health MEC Dr Sbongiseni Dhlomo met all three nurses on Thursday.
He confirmed that counselling has been arranged for the nurses and encouraged them to take some time off.
‘This latest incident marks a total of 18 of our vehicles hijacked in that area since 3 April,’ said Dhlomo.
‘While rushing here I toyed with the idea of shutting down our outreach programmes in this area until it is safe again.
‘Our health professionals are really concerned and afraid and if we stop going to that area, people are going to start dying.
‘As an interim measure, I have been encouraged with a meeting we had with the Cluster Commander, Major General Zonde, who offered to escort our vehicles while we are working with the community and their leaders, as well as the MEC for Safety and Liaison, Mxolisi Kaunda, on finding a permanent solution to this problem.’
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
