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Nurse on duty
Civil society organisation, The Eyes of the Nation and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have condemned the rape and kidnapping of two nurses at Ga-Chuene clinic outside Polokwane in Limpopo.
Both organisations say the incident that took place when the two nurses worked a night shift is shocking.
The Eyes of the Nation spokesperson, Motlafela Mojapelo has urged the community to assist the police in the search for the suspect.
“The Eyes of the Nation is shocked by the incident that took place at Ga-Chuene clinic in Thokgwaneng village, in which nurses were reportedly accosted by a gun wielding man who then raped them. We urge community members to assist the police by providing information that can led to the apprehension of the perpetrator.”
The Department of Health says the Ga-Chuene clinic will remain closed over the weekend.
Limpopo | Gunmen abduct, rape two nurses on night shift duty
Nurses union, Health & Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa) says the two nurses are traumatised following their ordeal while on duty on Thursday night.
Hospersa says it has communicated with the two nurses who were kidnapped and raped in the bush outside the clinic.
The two recounted harrowing details of their ordeal following the incident. The union says the nurses previously complained to the Health Department about security provisions but their concerns were ignored.
The nurses are now receiving medical and psychological support.
The union’s spokesperson Thulani Maluleke says, “They tried to reach out to the management about this incident in a form of grievance but that grievance was not responded to up until today. So, they are angry and traumatised at the same time.”
Maluleke says the department is failing to comply on issues such as security across health facilities that function 24 hours a day. He maintains that the union is not against the rollout of clinics that operate for 24 hours, but they want their concerns to be addressed first.
He says they have filed papers against the Health Department in the Labour Court.
