Emergency services employees including the Metro Police and South African Police Services (SAPS) took to the streets of Parkwood on Saturday 19 March to raise awareness about the impact of attacks on them.
They were joined by the City’s Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the local neighbourhood watches and Grassy Park Community Policing Forum (CPF).
Nicole Jacobus, CPF deputy chair, said they hope the awareness will change the mindset of residents.
“I’ve heard a lady asking why can’t we be out here more often so that they can feel safe. There was joy in that lady’s heart that she could now walk to the shop or walk to a family member. I think this is due to the awareness that the police are here. Hopefully this changes the mindset of our communities.”
Grassy Park Police Station Commander Col Dawood Laing, who joined the walk, said security services and law enforcement agencies were all rendering a service to the community.
“By supporting this initiative we want to say to the community, those who are not guilty must try and protect the services because you are not going to get the service you are supposed to get.
Emergency service members are just normal human beings, if they are being attacked, if they are shot at in a specific area, they will be hesitant to go into the area. The ambulance services have to go to the police station to find escorts, the police are already overloaded with normal duties which causes strain and takes a lot of manpower away.”
Paul Smith, a manager from Western Division Ambulance Service, said EMS staff members were often intimidated.
“Mainly where staff were intimidated, there were a few incidents where vehicles were stolen, one or two of the staff were robbed. Generally, this is our passion, we want to come and help our communities, but when our safety is compromised it’s very difficult to actually do their job. So, we always want to help people,but when it’s not safe to go into an area and you don’t know what to expect to find there, it is very difficult.”
Ward 65 councillor Donovan Nelson, who joined in the campaign, said it was important for emergency service members to be safe while performing their duties.
“The message is very simple. If you see these guys, come into your community, they are delivering a service, doing their job and like you would not go into a surgeon’s room and prevent a surgery from happening, don’t prevent them from doing their job as well. This is a critical job we absolutely need; we know we need more and faster responses from our EMS services, so any attack on them prevents that and makes it worse in the future. We know we need more law enforcement and metro police in our communities and the little opportunities they do have are hindered by attacks on them as well. So, I think it’s important and the message is clear, protect these men and women, allow them to do their job.”
George Nelson from Klip Neighbourhood Watch said the rate at which uniformed officers are being attacked is uncalled for.
“We really appreciate the CPF and police who have made this initiative possible today. We can see that we already made an impact by going through the various streets in Parkwood. People are appreciating this, but we need to drive down the negative perception people have towards the uniformed staff.”
Gavin Martin from Red Zone Neighbourhood Watch in Lotus River said many people do not take the police seriously.
“People do not take seriously what service these people render to the community. They are getting it for free but the perception out there is they don’t care. They need the service; they call the service and then they attack the service that they so desperately need and if we can all be part of driving this initiative it’s going to benefit everybody.”
A 32-year-old female paramedic who works for Metro Ambulance Services chose to remain anonymous as she described the experience EMS members often face while on duty.
“I’m here to raise awareness of attacks on ambulance services. In the 10 years working for the service there has been multiple attacks on EMS members. “We are not here for ourselves and it’s really sad to see that this is what we need to face every day.”
She added that eight years of her service was spent working in Khayelitsha.
“For the 10 years I have been in the service, probably at least eight of them, most of the time we have needed police escorts to go into areas where vehicles had been stoned, EMS staff have had guns pointed at them, robbed of personal belongings, robbed of medical equipment and undergone general abuse all the time from people who are under the influence of alcohol and drugs and people who are generally just angry in the communities.
“They don’t necessarily understand how it works and that it’s not always our fault that they need to wait for a vehicle. We understand the frustration of having ill family members and we also just try our best.
“We’re there just to deliver a service and everyone deserves healthcare and good healthcare, quality service.”
She added if they could, EMS members would wear bullet proof vests while on duty.
“The emergency medical services don’t get issued bullet proof vests. So if an area is really unsafe or there is ongoing violence like active violence at the moment, we tend to not go in at all. And that’s so sad because of patients in there who are waiting. Some of these cases are really so time sensitive that minutes can be the difference between life or death.”
“And that is what we are also trying to get through to the communities. Remember that you are the one suffering at the end of the day, we want to help you. I can’t help you if I’m injured myself. So, it’s important that everyone stands together because tomorrow it might be your mother, your sister, your child and all we want to do is deliver a service.”
