Cape Town – Tembisa hospital in Johannesburg was temporarily closed on Wednesday following a fatal shooting incident between a police officer and a nurse assistant.
According to a statement issued by the Gauteng Department of Health, a 30-year-old police officer entered the facility driving a state vehicle.
He then called his partner who was on duty at the time to come to the parking lot.
“Upon arrival, the police officer opened fire on the Enrolled Nursing Assistant and turned the gun on himself,” the statement said.
The nurse died on the scene while the police officer remained in a critical condition.
“Given the tragic incident the Tembisa hospital is currently not in a position to receive the public into the facility and is diverting calls to nearby facilities,” said the statement.
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The hospital said that patients currently admitted at the facility will continue to receive care while the public will be notified when the facility reopens.
According to News24 a colleague of the slain nurse said that the man and the woman had an argument before the man fired the shots.
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) described the incident as “shocking” and said that the perpetrator must be brought to book.
“Our prayer is that the perpetrator, we must do everything to save his life. He mustn’t get the easy way out. He must come back and face the consequences.
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“This also tells us that the issue of gender-based violence is deep in our country,” the report quoted the provincial chair of Denosa Simphiwe Gada as saying.
It was alleged that the woman nurse was in an abusive relationship with the police officer.
Following the incident, Gauteng Health MEC, Nomathemba Mokgethi, visited the family of the slain woman to offer her condolences, EWN reported.
“Our hospitals are safe; it is a safe place you can find yourself in. It’s just that this situation is an isolated situation and nobody could have suspected it,” Mokgethi said.
Meanwhile, staff at the hospital were left reeling in shock and were terrified after the tragedy that struck their work environment.
“If the police can come in and do something like this, then nobody is safe in this hospital. So, we are wondering who is going to be next,” said Hehane Lebisi, a colleague of the slain victim.
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Compiled by Odwa Shumi
