By OBAKENG MAJE

2 April 2025- The North West MEC for Health, Sello Lehari said he condemn in the strongest terms possible, the barbaric acts of violence, by a group of people that had brought in an injured individual at Bapong Community Healthcare Centre, in the early hours of Sunday morning, 30 March 2025. Lehari said the preliminary report, indicates that a group of five people, who were allegedly unruly and are suspected to have been consuming alcohol, arrived at the facility and refused to be searched by security officials at the gate, as per regular protocol, and made their way into the facility.

He further said the group also allegedly refused to queue and wanted to be attended to immediately before all other queuing patients, who had been patiently waiting for their turn to be attended to by the nurses. Lehari added that, the unruly group then allegedly assaulted a security official, who was trying to intervene and maintain order at the facility.

“The department wishes to also debunk social media reports and set the record straight that none of our healthcare professionals in particular nurses were ever assaulted during this ordeal. I want to say to these individuals that, we have opened a criminal case against them and we will follow it through until they are arrested.

“We call on the community to work with us and identify these individuals who are disregarding the laws of our country,” he said.

Lehari said they convened a meeting on the same day, which was attended by senior officials from the department both from the district and the province – and all affected stakeholders at the facility, including local councillors, MMC for Health at the Madibeng Local Municipality, unions’ representatives, security officials, and healthcare professionals, amongst others, to delve deep into this matter.

He said they agreed on that a criminal case be officially opened, all healthcare professionals including security personnel that were on duty on the day, are afforded psycho-social support and security being reinforced at the facility, including sending more arm guards.

“Security is being equipped with all necessary tools, including metal detectors. Enhance working community centred campaigns on the delivery of healthcare services.

“We send a stern warning to those that are frequenting healthcare facilities in the wee hours, as a results of brawls from places that sell alcohol to behave, saying otherwise anyone undermining health processes is challenging the state,” said Lehari.

He said their healthcare professionals are doing so much to save lives and the last thing they need, is individuals, who had consumed alcohol to come and cause chaos in the facilities, demanding to skip the queue. Lehari said they will face the full might of the law and will set a good example with these ones who assume that they are more important that other patients.

“We call for calm and assuring all residents in and around Bapong village and the surrounding areas – that the facility is safe and remain operational,” he said.

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