“Patients suffer while EMS is waiting and lives are at risk.”
So says Melvyn Jonkers, chair of the Grassy Park Community Policing Forum (CPF).
He adds: “Our residential areas become red zones, hampering effective service delivery. Paramedics now have to wear bulletproof vests in order to continue their passion of serving our community.”
Jonkers was speaking at the launch of a campaign to combat attacks on emergency services personnel when responding to call-outs in the community.
According to Jonkers, services being targeted included Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Metro Police and other law enforcement agencies.
“When I checked up on stats this morning, I read that between March 2021 and March 2022 there had been a total of 78 attacks on EMSs alone, across the country.
“It is said to be the highest number in five years. Effective solutions and interventions are pivotal to keep all the above-mentioned services, vehicles and personnel safe.”
He added that there needed to be a point where safety organisations and the community came together and said that attacks on emergency services would not be tolerated.
“We need to have an awareness campaign to inform our communities that attacks on emergency services are unacceptable and it will no longer be tolerated in the Grassy Park precinct area.
“Unless communities work together with law enforcement agencies and form a united front to put an end to attacks on emergency and safety personnel and vandalising of equipment, our own people in our communities that need these emergency medical care and safety and security services might find themselves without assistance.”
According to the CPF, in the past 12 months, there were 28 attacks on police officers, and officers traumatised in these attacks resulted in a total of 114 workdays lost. During the same period, 12 vehicles were damaged at a cost of R65 000 to repair.
“We are aware of at least one ambulance being attacked. Emergency paramedics were robbed of personal belongings and equipment. City Metro Police and law enforcement officials and vehicles came under attack seven times. Fire Services were also attacked.”
Jonkers said the campaign aimed to educate the community.
“We will educate our community to protect and defend our first responders. We will create a sense of pride in the emergency services within our community, and develop an anti-crime awareness campaign in the community.”
CPF deputy chair Nicole Jacobus said the attack on emergency services had a direct impact on services to the community.
“Throughout the year, we see headlines screaming at us ‘We are living in fear of crime’, ‘Mob attacks on police’ or ‘Traffic vehicles damaged’ when they are doing their day-to-day jobs in the community.
“Their vehicles get damaged, either stolen or shot at or burned out. This affects the service if you call for an ambulance or police van. Then we have to wait two hours for an ambulance and someone in the area needs that ambulance.”
Grassy Park station commander Col Dawood Laing said there were a few instances where new police officers had been attacked in the community.
“The damage people are causing to our vehicles and the procurement process for a vehicle is a long process.
“If the vehicle tyres are damaged, it is out of circulation for a week and a half. If the vehicle’s windscreen is damaged, it is out of circulation for two to three weeks.
“We all complain that we are short of resources. If the officers are being attacked and they are injured, that officer is out of service for 14 to 15 days and it is one member less serving the community. We ask, where does this come from?”
Laing added that the attacks on police were problematic. “The first time I experienced an attack on the police service, I was in Hanover Park. We cannot attack services that are supposed to protect us.
“The police are there to protect you, we chose that career, but the more we are being attacked and the more we are being injured, the more people do not get the service they are supposed to get.”
Jacobus called on all emergency services to join the CPF in handing out flyers in the community as part of the awareness campaign.
“We are asking the police, Metro police, law enforcement, traffic services, fire services and ambulance staff to come and walk the streets so that we can show awareness and show the community these uniformed officers are there to assist and help their families.”
Grassy Park CPF is calling on members of Neighbourhood Watch, CPF executive members, the police and EMS personnel to participate in the distribution of 5 000 flyers at hotspots in Parkwood, Lotus River, Ottery, Phumlani and New Horison on Saturday 19 March from 09:00 to 12:00.
Volunteers will meet at the corner of Blackbird Avenue and Acacia Road at Parkwood Estate.
