A male nurse at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg is in a stable condition following an attack by unknown people at the health facility’s parking lot.
The nurse was stabbed in the abdomen on Monday, according to Motalatale Modiba, spokesperson for the health department in Gauteng.
It is alleged that the suspects approached the nurse while he was on break outside and attempted to rob him of his cellphone. When he resisted, he was stabbed.
Moments before the attack, the two men were alleged to have been unruly at the hospital’s accident and emergency department.
“They violently demanded hospital staff to immediately attend to their friend while the staff were busy with patients who came first and had more severe injuries,” Modiba said.
“The two men also argued with staff and other [people] who accompanied patients.
“One of them became violent and slapped a [person] accompanying a patient. Security personnel intervened and the culprits fled after a failed attempt to rob a health worker.”
Gauteng health and wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has condemned the attack, saying the perpetrators were criminals masquerading as friends of a patient.
“We condemn this act of hooliganism and criminality and implore the police to track down the attackers as the incident was captured on CCTV cameras,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
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