Gauteng Health MEC, Hope Papo has strongly condemned the criminal burning down of a clinic at Zenzele informal settlement near Mohlakeng in Randfontein.
This follows thuggery masquerading as a service delivery protest in the area which started yesterday, Monday, 4 November 2013. The clinic with four consulting rooms services the community of ward 12 and reaches more than 1 300 patients per month.
“We cannot allow a situation where the lives of the sick are endangered and essential services such as medical care are disrupted as the result of such a criminal acts," said MEC Papo.
The MEC called on patriotic and law abiding members of the community to expose the criminals who were responsible for this act so that they can face the consequences for their actions.
The clinic was housed in 4 containers to render Primary Health Care in Zenzele Informal settlement. Three of these have been burnt down completely by criminals masquerading as service delivery protesters.
During the fire, medication, a computer, moveable assets, patients’ files and equipment were damaged. All staff members at the clinic will be temporarily allocated to different facilities within Randfontein. Members of the community are urged to access medical care at their nearest clinic at Zenzele.
“Such barbaric behaviour is completely unacceptable. It will not be tolerated in a constitutional democracy such as ours where citizens have a right to peacefully protest. Such criminal actions are taken seriously and will be reported to the police. Even during the years of ungovernability against the criminal apartheid system in the mid 1980's, community facilities were respected," says MEC Papo.
MEC said, “This incident has generated fear among the staff at the facility. Health facilities should not be vandalized and destroyed as they are vital in the delivery of quality health care."
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
