20 January 2023
MEDIA STATEMENT
MEC WELCOMES ARREST OF SUSPECTED THUGS BEHIND CABLE THEFT AND VANDALISM AT CMH
BHISHO — Eastern Cape MEC for Health Nomakhosazana Meth has welcomed the swift action by the Mdantsane Forum to nab men suspected of stealing and vandalising electrical cables at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.
The two men were apprehended on Thursday night by the community before being handed over to the police.
The suspects were injured in the process, resulting in them being treated at the very same hospital they are suspected of stealing from.
MEC Meth welcomed the arrest.
“This is what active citizenry looks like so we are happy that the Mdantsane community took a stand and apprehended the alleged criminals. We applaud them for being patriots. However, we caution people against taking the law into their own hands.
“We now hope that the police will build a solid case against the suspects and help the state prove beyond reasonable doubt that the men are indeed behind the vandalism and theft of electricity cables at the hospital.
“Vandalising and stealing electricity cables of a hospital is tantamount to premeditated murder because we deal with life and death situations. Such criminality and thuggery also exposes the department to possible medico-legal claims should anything happen to patients.
“We are happy that this time no one lost their lives because of this,” she said.
The vandalism and cable theft at CMH is the latest incident in a string of cases where health facilities are targeted by criminals.
Criminals stole municipal electrical cables in Dordrecht, resulting in services at Dordrecht Hospital being affected, overnight.
Generators have kicked in to ensure services do not grind to a halt. The kitchen is running on gas at the moment.
The municipality has promised to prioritise fixing the cables.
Fort Beaufort Hospital has also fallen prey to thugs as copper pipes from water piping in the theatre ablution were stolen this week.
The Marjorie Parrish TB Hospital in Port Alfred is currently dependent on its generator, after electrical cables were stolen, recently.
The department is busy with the process of having the repairs work being undertaken.
In the last 18 months, there have been 120 burglaries at health facilities in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Criminals in the Bay seem to be targeting air conditioners which affects services, as vaccines have to be moved to other facilities when this happens.
In the latest incidents, air conditioners have been stolen at Algoa Park Clinic and the clinic in Central, Gqeberha.
Staff at KwaDwesi Clinic and Tshangana Clinic have also been robbed at gunpoint in recent weeks.
There was also a burglary at the Gqeberha Lilitha Nursing College recreational hall where 13 electrical plugs and switches were stripped and vandalised.
Wiring of the sound system and wiring from toilets to passages were also stolen.
This happened on January 4. Cases were reported to the police in all cases.
There were also two incidents of cable theft at Empilweni Hospital last year which affected both electricity supply to the hospital and telephone lines.
Thugs also cut the fence at Dr Malizo Mpehle Hospital in Tsolo and stole equipment and a microwave in August.
We applaud the police and courts for their diligent work as the culprits have been sentenced for 6 months. The stolen property was also recovered.
There was also a break-in at St Lucy’s Provincial Hospital in Tsolo in December. Criminals gained entry by cutting the fence.
MEC Meth called on the SAPS to continue to prioritise cases involving health facilities and workers.
“Our facilities and workers are under siege from criminals. Such lawlessness should not go unpunished,” she said.
The department has embarked on a security risk assessment to establish what interventions are needed at different facilities as a way of strengthening security.
This includes beefing up technology and physical security guards. CCTV cameras and security beams are being installed while appropriate fencing is also being erected, among other measures.
The department is working in partnership with the government departments like Justice, Community Safety and policing cluster and the Clinton Health Access Initiative to strengthen our security systems and improve safety at health facilities.
Electricity at CMH was restored on Thursday afternoon after the department appointed a contractor to fix the damage.
Although the generators on site are functional, the missing cables meant that the electricity generated by the generators could not be conducted to the various parts of the hospital.
A preliminary report indicates that the perpetrators dug a hole underneath the fence to gain entry to the facility.
Mobile generators had to be deployed to the facility to operate critical areas — areas like the adult and paediatric ICUs and the kitchen so that patients could have warm food.
Normal operations at CMH have resumed.
Issued by the Eastern Cape Department of Health.
For enquiries, contact:
Mr Mkhululi Ndamase, Spokesperson to MEC on 071 851 8338
Ms Yonela Dekeda, Provincial Spokesperson, Eastern Cape Department of Health on 083 378 0968
