The university's Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Francis Petersen, says they have agreed on immediate and medium-term safety and security measures, which will at least see to it that their students, and other personnel, as well as patients, are safe.

This, after the training of medical students from the university was suspended amid safety concerns following an attempted rape of an intern doctor and an armed robbery of another doctor this past week. In the first incident, a 24-year-old intern doctor bit off a man’s tongue as he attempted to rape her while she was in one of the overnight staff quarters on Tuesday. The second incident was, on the other hand, reported on Saturday morning when a 44-year-old female doctor was robbed at gunpoint by four armed men.

Addressing the media today, Prof. Petersen confirmed that their medical students will return to Pelonomi and that immediate interventions, which includes beefed up security, more CCTV cameras, fixed security locks, and limited access control to the premises, amongst others, will be put in place. Petersen says they are still in talks with the department and the South African Police Service on other measures that need to be taken to tighten up security at this hospital.

Prof. Petersen adds that the safety of their students remains crucial and that they will assist in any way they can. He alludes that all students affected by the two incidents are receiving trauma counselling.

The Department's spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, has meanwhile said they welcome strides made by all stakeholders in this case and that the department will continue making efforts to ensure that all staff and patients are protected at all times.

“What is key is that everybody in the hospital environment must feel safe and secure and that is the responsibility of the state. We are executing that responsibility in consultation with all stakeholders. We are also in consultation with the Crime Prevention Cluster to effect armed tactical response at their facilities, because we have realised that even though we are putting systems in place, armed people come to our institutions to fight against unarmed security officers, similarly to the incident on Saturday where security personnel was overpowered by armed people.”

He says plans are on the cards to ensure that security is beefed up at all health facilities.

OFM News