The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has hailed the arrest of four suspects aged between 17 and 21 by the Anti-Gang Unit of the police in the province of Mpumalanga. The developments come after a recent incident whereby a group of suspects allegedly went into Carolina hospital and attacked the staff, robbing them of their personal belongings.

In the early hours of Saturday, 17 June 2023 Carolina hospital was reportedly attacked by a group of suspects who stormed into the premises and attacked the staff members wherein some of them were assaulted as well as robbed of their personal items, including cell phones. As if that was not enough, the group reportedly went on and vandalized hospital properties, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

According to the information by then, the outrageous behaviour occurred after a man was brought in hospital but later succumbed to gunshot wounds. After this sad news reached people who brought him for medical treatment, hell broke loose as they went on rampage and cause a lot of havoc which sent shock waves amongst the workers who were on duty.

That conduct was strongly condemned by the authorities as well as the general public. That unruly behaviour did not augur well with the management of the police in the province hence a team of experts in the investigation field was then assembled under the leadership of the Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela. The General vowed that no stone will be left unturned and she did not mince her words when indicating that the suspects thereof would be hunted down and be brought to book. Indeed this was done hence the arrest. When the suspects were arrested, the astute members recovered a mobile phone believed to have been stolen during the robbery on that fateful day.

The four suspects are due to appear at the Carolina Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 03 July 2023 facing charges, including malicious damage to property as well as business robbery and possession of suspected stolen property.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Commissioner has sent a stern warning against people that target health workers whiles performing their routine duties. “We cannot allow our health facilities as well as the workers thereof to be working in fear of lawless individuals who parade themselves as gangsters thereby instilling fear amongst the communities. That will have to stop and it will never be allowed as long as we as the police are here. We are working very hard to ensure that each one of those that were involved in attacking our health facilities especially in the incidents that were recently reported. We will not rest until we bring each one of them to justice like we did with these four suspects” warned the General.

Source: South African Police Service