THE Gauteng Department of Health has condemned the attack on a Tshwane District vaccination team on Saturday, 4 December in Soshanguve, north of Tshwane.
According to Gauteng MEC for Health’s spokeswoman Kwara Kekana, five armed men who were in a white Toyota Quantum at Wonder City Taxi Rank in Soshanguve robbed the vaccination team at gunpoint.
“The perpetrators fled with vaccination programme gadgets which consist of three tablets, one smart phone and six cellphones belonging to the team,” she said.
Meanwhile, in another separate incident which happened last week on 29 November, a West Rand Health District Services bakkie was hijacked with mobile site equipment and gazebos in Chamdor, Kagiso.
She said cases of robbery for both incidents have been opened at Soshanguve and Kagiso police stations.
Kekana said fortunately, no team members were harmed in both cases and counselling will be provided to the affected staff.
She said these senseless acts occurred at a time when the province is ramping up the vaccination programme by activating more vaccination sites in all the districts in order to vaccinate more people.
“Our healthcare workers remain the backbone of the health system, even during the pandemic as they continue to play a pivotal role in terms of vaccination programme roll-out. We call on all members of the community to work with law enforcement agencies and to share any information they might have on the two incidents,” said Kekana.
