Cape Town – Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are reportedly concerned about their relationship with the communities they serve following a video of a looting incident that implicated their employee.
According to IOL, the MSF staffer was allegedly caught stealing meat from a truck in KwaZulu-Natal.
He was set to appear in the Melmoth Magistrate’s Court on theft-related charges after the video of the incident went viral, reports said.
In the video which started circulating on social media on January 19, people can be seen looting huge chunks of meat from the truck on the R66 in King Cetshwayo District.
The clip also shows some meat in the back of the MSF-branded vehicle with allegedly.
The truck owner is seen confronting the MSF vehicle driver while a woman is spotted fleeing.
On Monday, MSF spokesperson Sean Christie confirmed that they were aware of the video and that the matter was under police investigation, said IOL in another report.
“The MSF staffer was on duty at the time and was delivering medical supplies in the area, where MSF has been working since 2011,” the report quoted Christie as saying.
The report said MSF had also made contact with the owner of the looted truck.
The organisation’s preliminary investigations indicated that the meat was placed in the back of the vehicle and the alleged looters attempted to pressure the MSF driver to help them, reported TimesLIVE.
The report said the driver refused to help the alleged looters.
“We are very concerned at this incident and the effect it has on our relationships with the communities we serve in KZN and our many thousands of supporters in SA and beyond.
“As we work diligently to get to the bottom of this incident and its consequences, we remain committed to being fully transparent and accountable to our patients, donors and the authorities,” the report quoted MSF operational support manager, Philip Aruna as saying.
“MSF’s preliminary investigations reveal that the meat was put in the back of the MSF pickup and that the alleged looters attempted to pressure the MSF driver into helping them, which the staff member refused to do,” said MSF
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
