Patients Stranded After Chiawelo Clinic Clinic Robbed By 10 Armed Men

Staff at the Chiawelo clinic in Soweto has denied access to victims of a robbery attack on their facility in the early hours of Tuesday.

According to the incident report by a resident, around 1 a.m., a group of about 10 armed men, who claimed to be crime prevention wardens, stormed the clinic. The men were reported to have physically assaulted and robbed a doctor of R1,000, along with emergency personnel who were also targeted during the ordeal.

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The perpetrators’ acts led to a tense situation at the clinic, with staff expressing concerns for their safety as well as fear of potential further threats. This has led to a subsequent decision to prevent several patients, including those requiring urgent medical assistance, from getting into the clinic.

“I’ve been here for four hours for a check-up, and they told us to wait for the counsellor to speak to us. They are telling us that these robbers also stole medication, and they will close the emergency section because they are not safe and they cannot continue serving us,” said Sithole, the victim.

Local authorities are investigating the robbery, and an urgent review of security protocols is underway to prevent future incidents. No arrests have been made as of yet, and the clinic’s operations are temporarily disrupted as staff work to ensure their safety.

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The incident has raised serious thoughts regarding the safety of both healthcare workers and patients in the area, especially in light of growing criminal activities targeting public institutions in South Africa.

However, Clinic Manager Maria Mazibuko has promised the victimised community that a statement would be issued for public consumption as soon as the investigation is concluded.

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