Financial Manager Dies in Horror Crash

A 33 year old Financial Manager of a well known car company in Pretoria has died in a horrific crash this morning.

At approximately 09h15, ER24 received a distress call from Traffic Net. A member of the public who witnessed the crash described it as horrific when she phoned it through to Emergency Services.

When paramedics arrived on the scene of the crash at the N1 Brakfontein Interchange, they found the 33 year old motor biker wedged underneath the barrier next to the highway with his bike lying about 100 metres from him.

It is appears that he lost control on the bend travelling towards Polokwane (North) and crashed into the barriers. According to the witness on scene, there were no other vehicles involved.

Paramedics determined that he sustained major injuries to his body and especially his legs. Unfortunately there was nothing paramedics could do on the scene to resuscitate him. It is believed that he died on impact. He was declared dead on scene.

The Pretoria Police (Wierdabrug SAPS) attended to the scene and will conduct an investigation into the cause of the crash.

Paramedics had to phone several numbers before they could get hold of family. No immediate family could be reached at the time.

The highway's slow and emergency lane was closed for traffic during the investigation.

Toy gun used in salon hostage drama

A toy gun was used in an eight hour hostage drama at a salon in Vanderbijlpark, Vaal Rand police said today. "The gun he used to take seven people hostage was not real," said William Mcera, a police captain. The man held seven people hostage to the interior of the salon in Attie Fourie Street from 4pm yesterday until 2am this morning. From the information the police received, they were under the impression that the gun was real."We were convinced that the suspect was a threat to the life of Lydia Jacobs, the last hostage, after he demanded that a car be brought to the door of the salon, all indications were that he was going to take the woman with him and police could not risk that," said Mcera.Police then fired a shot and the hostage taker was killed. Mcera said the man was a about 21 or 22 years old. His identity could not be released immediately. The motive for the hostage was not known. "It was seemingly a robbery," Mcera said. He said police had already given the man part of the R50 000 he had demanded. It was obtained from the safe in the salon.The drama started at 4.15pm yesterday when what witnesses described as a cross dresser produced a firearm and took the owner of the salon in Attie Fourie Street, Merle Scheepers, and six other people hostage. He demanded a ransom of R50 000 and a car. He subsequently released Scheepers and five other hostages, retaining one.Cross dresser was knownPolice task force members and hostage negotiators earlier descended on the cordoned-off area, George Scheepers' husband said: "He asked for the keys to the safe. I think it is an inside job." Merle Scheepers recognised her captor as a robber who had held her at gunpoint in the salon and demanded money, jewellery and cell phones on May 24, he said. Two women on the scene recognised the man as one in pictures police circulated after the previous robbery."The police showed us photos of him then and today he was walking through the corridor dressed in women's clothing with big sunglasses on," said a woman who refused to be named. She said the man was "trying to walk like a woman." A woman who answered the phone in the salon said she was "very scared. "He is holding a gun to us." The woman said as she was answering the phone to speak to the police. Fearing for the life of the last hostage, police shot and killed the man around 2am today, bringing to an end the eight-hour hostage drama. "It's over, he is no longer," said Mcera. All the hostages were safe, he said. The interior of Merle's Hair Boutique looked a mess as police quickly placed a white sheet across the front door, blocking onlookers' viewA crowd gathered outside the salon behind police lines watching as the hostage drama drew to a close. Jacobs was the last person to see the hostage taker alive. She was a customer who was the last hostage and her condition was described, however, she was too shaken to speak to the media. - Sapa

Domestic Worker Shot with 'Rubber Bullets'

A 37 year old female domestic worker was treated this evening by ER24 paramedics after she was allegedly shot with "rubber bullets" at a complex in Jan Frederick Street in Randpark Ridge.

According to the domestic worker, she was waiting at the gate for the owner of the house to open it, when a big bakkie pulled up in the street. She explained that two white males asked where they would find Northgate. At the time she was outside the complex with her back towards the gate. She said that she politely showed them the direction of Northgate and saw one of them pulling out something that looked like a gun.

The only thing she could remember was loud sounds and felt severe pain on her chest, arms and legs. She allegedly managed to ran away as the bakkie spun off and locked herself in the house with the children.

The home owner was informed about the incident and emergency services and the Honeydew Police arrived on the scene. The domestic worker was treated on scene for severe bruising on her body. The "bullet" marks were quite distinctive to those of a paintball gun or a rubber projectile. The domestic worker explained that she would rather stay at home and go to her personal doctor for treatment if necessary.

According to the home owner, this is the first time that something like this happen in their area and one of her kids could have been seriously hurt if they were playing outside or near the gate.

The Honeydew Police attended the scene, but it is not known if an investigation was launched. The motive for the "shooting" is not known.

"Mr. Harley Davidson" Dies

Harley Davidson's and Motorbikes from all over gathered this afternoon in front of the Harley Davidson shop in Rivonia drive.

Mr Brian Wegerle, also known by most of the Harley Davidson community as "Mr Harley Davidson" died last week when he was crushed by a truck on the N1 Highway whilst travelling on his blue Street Glide Harley Davidson.

It is believed that almost 1 000 bikes, most of them Harley Davidson's, took part in the wake for "Mr Harley Davidson".

Everyone gathered outside the Harley Davidson Shop in Rivonia Drive, Rivonia and followed through to the Cornerstone Church in Bedford Gardens where the service was held.

ER24 Emergency Services assisted on the scene of the initial accident last week and today, supplied two Ambulances and a Public Safety Vehicle to escort the riders on their way to the church. The riders were escorted from Rivonia Drive via the N1 along the N3 to Bedford Gardens.

Elderly Man Dead after Two Bakkies Collide

An elderly man has been killed and a 40 year old man seriously injured when their two bakkies collided on the Old Pretoria Road just outside Fourways this evening.

It is believed that a black Club Cab Colt was traveling towards the Lion Park and a white Nissan 1400 bakkie, traveling in the opposite direction, collided with each other. It appears that the Colt bakkie overturned and rolled into the front of the 1400 bakkie shearing the windscreen and roof open before it came to a landing next to the road in two pieces.

With the impact the roof and parts of the bakkie collided with the elderly man's face. He died on impact due to major injuries. The male driver of the Colt bakkie was allegedly thrown over a fence some metres away into a school's sport field. Firefighters had to lift the fence in order for paramedics to reach him. He sustained serious injuries and was stabilized on the scene and later transported by ER24 to the Leratong Hospital.

When paramedics arrived, the old man was still behind the broken steering wheel of his bakkie and buckled up by his safety belt.

It is an unfortunate accident as the elderly man most probably did not even see the bakkie rolling directly into the upper front part of his bakkie where he was killed.

The JMPD will be investigating the accident. The Randburg Fire Department and Life Fourways Healthcare paramedics attended the scene.

Motorbiker Serious after Crash

A 48 year old man sustained serious injuries when he was involved in serious crash with his Suzuki motorbike on the R28 this afternoon.

Paramedics from ER24 were alerted by a passing motorist near the Hendrik Potgieter that someone has crashed on the R28. On arrival at the scene, just before the Beyers Naude off-ramp, they found a man lying next to his motorbike in the middle island.

Emergency workers established on scene that the man sustained possible fractures to both his arms and other injuries. He was stabilized on the scene and transported to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment.

According to the injured biker, he was on his way home after a day out with his family and friends from the Hartebeestpoort dam when the accident occurred. Details of the crash could not be confirmed, but riders from the same group, who was travelling behind the man, said a car changed lanes in front of the bike. It is believed that the biker then tried to avoid colliding with the car and lost control ending up in the middle island.

There was no other vehicles on scene when paramedics arrived and it could not be confirmed what exactly happened.

Again, passing bikers from various riding clubs stopped on the scene to offer their support. On numerous occasions before did it happen that bikers from all over arrive on a motorbike crash to offer support to family and friends. It appears that they have a strong "family" within the motorbike community.

Teenager Dies in Bike Crash

An 18 year old teenager has died this afternoon on the Hans Strijdom Drive outside Shumba Valley Lodge.

It is believed that the teenager was travelling on his Yamaha motorbike when he apparently lost control on Hans Strijdom in the direction of Randburg. According to a bystander on the scene, he could not see if he (the biker) swerved for anything in the road. The bystander arrived seconds after the crash and tried to assist the young boy.

When paramedics from Life Fourways Hospital and Discovery arrived on scene, he was already dead. He sustained multiple injuries and there was nothing paramedics could do for him to save his life.

A distraught family arrived on scene and knelt down next to the lifeless body of the young boy, clearly in disbelief of what had just happened.

The teenager and his bike landed in a ditch next to the road. Passing motor bikers from different riding clubs stopped on the scene to offer support to the family and friends.

The Johannesburg Metro Police's Accident Investigation Unit will be investigating the accident do determine the cause of the incident. At this stage no other vehicles were reported to have been involved in this crash.

Paramedic Critical After Ambulance Crash

A female paramedic from ER24 Kemptonpark, is in a critical condition after she was in a serious accident last night on the Modderfontein Road in the Modderfontein / Kemptonpark Area.

It is believed that a silver Hyundai Jazz lost control on the opposite side of the Modderfontein Highway and rolled into oncoming traffic. The paramedic who was travelling in the ambulance at the time, tried to avoid colliding with the Jazz. The ambulance and a white VW Minibus collided with each other.

When paramedics and bystanders arrived on the scene, the paramedic was still trapped in the front compartment of the ambulance and had to be rescued from the wreckage. Paramedics treated her (the paramedic) for serious injuries, including facial injuries. She was transported to the Glynnwood Life Hospital. The ambulance was not transporting any patients at the time of the accident.

The driver of the Hyundai Jazz was treated on scene for serious injuries and transported to the Aarwyp Hospital. The driver of the VW Minibus, belonging to a nearby tours company, was treated on the scene and transported to a nearby hospital.

The exact cause for the accident could not be determined last night. ER24 and the Johannesburg Metro Police's Accident investigation Unit will be conducting an investigation into the accident.

Cash In Transit Heist

Two Coin Security members have been injured when suspects rammed their vehicle this afternoon in Atlas Road just after the R21 Off ramp in the direction of Boksburg.

According to bystanders on the scene, suspects used a Mercedez and a Double Cab Bakkie to crash into the vehicle from both sides. Fortunately the vehicle did not overturn and no one was injured after a gun battle ensued.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they found one of the security members next to his vehicle with injuries. He was treated on the scene for his injuries and transported to the Aarwyp Hospital where he will receive further medical treatment. It has been mentioned that one of the security guards from Coin has allegedly been beaten up by the suspects.

Both of the guards have been treated on the scene. The Atlas Road have been blocked off whilst police conduct and investigation.

It is believed that the robbers fled with cash from the van and used the Double Cab Bakkie to flee the scene.

Getting shot at is all in a night’s work

Johannesburg paramedics don’t often get shot at, but they do find themselves in dangerous situations more often than not.

This follows a shooting in Quellerina, west of Johannesburg on Sunday night when a hijacker fired on ER 24 paramedics responding to an accident.

ER 24 spokesman Werner Vermaak told The Times he and another paramedic found themselves under fire just after 6pm at the corner of Sentinel and Fourteenth Avenue.
He said: “It was a very unfortunate incident. We often respond to incidents where shootings have occurred, but seldom get shot at.”

Vermaak said there were dangerous situations, such as the incident last week at the Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto where paramedics were threatened and intimidated.

Johannesburg EMS spokesman Malcolm Midgley said there was another incident in Alexandra over the weekend when people threw stones at a fire engine.
Midgley said: “I’m not sure what motivated the incident, but sometimes they believe we are responding late to a call and that is how they react. Fortunately, these cases don’t happen often.”

He said on Friday night an ambulance was damaged in Matholiesville township, but the reason was still unknown.

Most paramedics, however, continue to save lives despite facing danger, trying to get to their patients regardless of the situation.

In some instances they wait for police escorts, said Vermaak.
The recent 10-day public sector strike has also led to several incidents where paramedics have been threatened.

But, said Midgley, paramedics are told daily by the provincial health department which hospitals to take patients to.

He said that they were coping with the increased workload which had been generated by the striking workers.

Article by: Sipesihle Mguga of The Times

Cable Thieves Stopped in their Tracks

Alleged cable thieves were stopped in their get-away tracks this morning when their car was involved in a serious accident with a MBA Security Vehicle on Beyers Naude outside the Zandspruit Informal Settlement.

Just after five this morning, private security and Police received call of cable theft in Honeydew. Police and security responded to the area, but could not find anything. Moments later they received reports of a serious accident, not far from the the original incident.

It is believed that the suspects tried to turn back onto Beyers Naude when they noticed the security and police. The suspect's vehicle then collided with a bakkie from MBA Security causing it to overturn and rip the suspect's Datsun Skyline into pieces.

When paramedics arrived on the scene of the crash, they found approximately 12 patients in and on the side of the road. Two of the suspects were lying next to their vehicle. One of the suspects sustained major injuries and basic life functions had to be taken over by paramedics on scene, another was slightly injured with facial injuries. It is believed that another two suspects fled the scene on foot. It would be a miracle if they did not sustain any injuries, judging on the mechanism of the car.

Approximately ten security members from the MBA Security company were slightly injured when their vehicle overturned. One of the members were treated on scene and transported to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment.

A cable was still visible from the wreckage and laid across the road between the two pieces of the car. It is fortunate that no-one else were seriously injured in this ordeal.

The Beyers Naude was blocked off for the duration of the investigation and the treatment off the injured. The SAPS and Johannesburg Metro Police's Accident Investigation Unit will be conducting an investigation.

Both of the suspects were placed under arrest by the Honeydew Police and transported per ER24 ambulance to the Leratong Hospital.

Commuters slowed down long after the accident to have a look at the wrecked vehicles. The road was re-opened only two hours later and traffic was still slow in both directions.

Two Killed in Noordheuwel Crash

Two women were killed and another seriously injured when their car allegedly overturned multiple times on the Hoffnaar Road in Noordheuwel this evening. It is believed that all three of the woman were travelling in the vehicle and thrown out out of the mangled wreck during the crash.

When paramedics arrived, one of the ladies was found next to the white Mazda 323 with major facial and head trauma. Paramedics had to act quickly to save her life. Another two were found somewhat 20 metres from the vehicle. The two women lying away from the wreck had sustained multiple serious injuries. Unfortunately there was nothing paramedics could do to save their lives. They have sustained massive body trauma.

The exact identities could not be established on the scene, but it is known that all of the women are in their late 20's and early 30's.

The families of the deceased could not be reached when paramedics were still on scene. It could not be determined who was the driver of the vehicle. One of the ladies might be a teacher at a local school, according to bystanders. School sporting equipment were found scattered on the scene as well as school books.

The seriously injured lady was transported to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment. The SAPS Collision Unit will investigate the accident to determine the exact cause.

Road Carnage Amidst Strike

Amidst the strike action with government health departments, as well as the downing of tools by government ambulance services, the two largest private Emergency Medical Service (EMS) companies found themselves extremely busy “keeping Durban together” last night. Extra resources arrived from our Johannesburg Head Office yesterday evening and were immediately put into service by the additional staff that we called in.

Aside from the large volumes of ambulance transfers given to us by the Provincial Health Operations Centre in Pietermaritzburg, to transfer ill or injured (or pregnant) patients between government and/or private hospitals, there were a large number of serious road accidents and trauma calls on the streets of Durban and surrounds last night.


To start off the evening, our colleagues in the Metro Police were involved in an accident at the corners of Grey (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) street and West street shortly after 7pm last night. The Metro Police patrol vehicle was heading south along Dr Yusuf Dadoo street and the two officers were waiting for the red traffic light to change when a BMW drove into the back of them at speed. This baffled the emergency personnel as they were the only two vehicles present on a 3 lane road. The driver of the BMW sheepishly acknowledged that perhaps the Metro Police were the LAST people that he should have driven into the back of. Both Metro Police officers were taken to St Augustines hospital in Durban with neck pain, the occupants of the BMW, who still had an open beer bottle in the cab, remain uninjured. We left the scene before they were charged and are not sure if they were charged by the Metro Police Captain who arrived to take charge.


The night continued and soon we were rushing to a report of a serious collision at the corners of Underwood road and Cavell street in Mosely Park. This accident occurred just before 10pm. A family of three, traveling in a white Nissan, were traveling down Underwood road towards Queensburgh when a maroon Isuzu bakkie, fitted with a bulbar, allegedly turned in front of them and they two vehicles collided with great force. The bonnet of the Nissan was extensively damaged. The driver of the Nissan, a man in his late 20’s, was still lying in his car when ER24 paramedics arrived. He was seriously injured and was placed on a drip at the scene by paramedics before they carefully extricated him from his mangled wreck. His young wife was also seriously injured and their young 3 year old daughter escaped injury (she was strapped into her child car seat in the back of the car), but was extremely traumatized by the crash and was crying uncontrollably. All three were taken by ambulance to Westville hospital, where the parents are in a stable condition.

The driver of the bakkie fled the scene of the accident without bothering to see if anybody was injured in the accident. The Isuzu was extensively damaged and police and paramedics remain baffled as to how the vehicle was able to be driven away. Unfortunately for the heartless driver, who was obviously trying to hide something, his number plate fell off on impact, and as he was in too much of a hurry to leave, to notice. Police ran a vehicle check (on the E-Natis system from another province as “ours still isn’t working”) and managed to trace the vehicle back to 27 Schooldale avenue in Nirvana Hills, Shallcross. The police immediately drove to the residence and found the Isuzu bakkie, but highly coincidentally, the occupants had left in another vehicle. The driver had attempted to conceal the accident damage by parking next to a large truck in his yard and then parked another vehicle behind it. Metro Police officers and the SAPS questioned the ladies that were at the house and found that the driver and his brother-in-law were the occupants of the bakkie. Attempts to contact the men by cellular phone failed.


In another serious accident at the corners of Berea road and Cleaver road in Durban, a silver Corsa Lite carrying white youngsters believed to be in their early 20’s or late teens, collided with a white BMW carrying black men and women believed to be in their late 20’s. The accident occurred at 1am when the Corsa Lite, which was traveling south along Cleaver road allegedly traveled through a red robot and collided into the BMW which was traveling west along Berea road. The force of the crash caused the BMW to spin out of control and collide into a light pole. Two of the occupants of the BMW were seriously injured and were taken by ambulance to St Augustines hospital where they are in a serious but stable condition. The driver of the Corsa Lite sustained soft tissue injuries to his neck and was placed in a neck brace by paramedics at the scene. When asked why they traveled through the red robot, the Corsa driven alleged that he felt that he was about to be hijacked and surged forward. Although there was a strong police presence at the scene, there were no signs of any suspicious looking hijackers in the vicinity.

This intersection has a recorded accident every weekend for the last 6 weeks, and the residents in the block of flats are remembering the ER24 paramedics by name!


Shortly after 3am I attended a call on the N2 south just before the Inanda offramp where a white Kempster Hire bakkie, carrying three occupants (2 black females and 1 black male – driver) lost control of the vehicle, traversed the crash barrier and collided at speed with the concrete pillar of a footbridge. The driver of the bakkie was killed on impact whilst his two passengers were found in a critical condition, and lying on top of each other in a mangled heap within the twisted metal wreckage. The impact was so great that throughout the intricate rescue, using the Jaws of Life, the bakkie remained firmly embedded in the concrete pillar.

Metro Fire department from Durban North / Umhlanga assisted the ER24 paramedics to carefully extract the critically injured women from the wreck. They were both taken to Addington hospital with multiple injuries, where miraculously, the skeleton nursing staff on duty accepted the patients and treated them. ER24 paramedics declared the driver deceased at the scene. According to a family member who arrived at the scene, the three were returning from a funeral in Tongaat and were heading home to Westville when the tragedy occurred.

Youngster Falls Off of Truck

ER24 paramedics responded to a serious accident in Argyle road last night just before Umgeni road (Just after 9pm). When we arrived however we could not find any damaged vehicles, only a seriously injured man believed to be in his late teens or early twenties. He was lying with a pool of blood around his head.

Horrified witnesses told paramedics that the young man had been sitting on the back of a utility truck whilst it was moving, and he lost his grip and fell off of the truck. A car travelling behind the truck was forced to swerve to avoid driving over the injured man. The driver of the truck was unaware that his passenger had fallen off of the truck and carried on driving.

ER24 paramedics stabilised the man, who was going in and out of consciousness, and transported him to St Augustines hospital where he is in a serious condition. We were very concerned about possible neck and internal head injuries. These types of rapid deceleration falls from heights can cause serious injuries, and if this man has a bleed inside his head, he may very well die as a result of this injury. Only time will tell. He will undergo CT scans in hospital to determine if there is any bleeding on the brain.

ER24 paramedics urge passengers and drivers of such vehicles, including bakkies, to not carry people in the back of an open bakkie / truck, and if you do, to ensure that they are seated within the bin and not sitting on the edge.

Golf vs. Truck

Shortly before midnight, ER24 paramedics raced through to Prospecton road, south of Durban, for a report of a serious accident involving a car and a truck. When we arrived we found two indian males (20’s) trapped in a modified white VW Golf. Both men were seriously injured and the vehicle in which they were travelling was firmly embedded under a large 18 wheeler truck which was carrying cargo.

Paramedics stabilised the injured men while the Metro Fire Department used the Jaws of Life to free the men from their mangled wreck. Both men sustained suspected neck, head and back injuries, as well as broken limbs. They were also badly cut up from the impact and sustained facial trauma. Both were placed on drips at the scene by paramedics, before being taken by ambulance to Kingsway hospital, where they are in a serious but stable conditon.

Details of the accident are sketchy however, from evaluating the accident scene, it looks like the driver of the Golf did not see the truck in front of him in the dark and simply drove into it. The truck driver was not injured.
SAPS were in attendance and the case is being investigated.

Metro Police Injured

ER24 paramedics responded to the scene of an accident where their Metro Police colleagues were reportedly injured this afternoon just after 1pm.

Whilst responding to an emergency call, the Metro Police rapid response vehicle, which had it’s blue lights flashing and sirens on, entered the intersection of West & Williams streets in Durban. They collided with two other vehicles and spun out of control before coming to a halt in the middle of the intersection.

ER24 paramedics stabilised the driver police woman, who sustained suspected neck and back injuries, before taking her by ambulance to St Augustines hospital. Her police partner was miraculously uninjured.

The drivers of the other vehicles were visibly shaken but also uninjured. Traffic was backed up in West street and Williams road as emergency personnel worked to clear the scene.

It is so difficult to respond to scenes where our colleagues are involved. There is such an emotional attachment as we interact with the police every single day. They are a part of out family.

Bizarre Accident at Diepkloof I/C

Paramedics barely escaped with their lives last night when they stopped to assist a critical injured patient on the N12 Highway at the Diepkloof Interchange.

At approximately 23h00 last night an ER24 Ambulance was doing routine patrol on the N12 Highway when they noticed a Metro Police vehicle parked in the middle lane of the highway. The two paramedics soon realized that there was a person lying in front of the Metro vehicle. They quickly assisted with the critical injured man, who was barely breathing at the time and soon to be pulseless. It was discovered that the man fell off the back of a bakkie. The bakkie obviously did not realise that he lost a passenger and failed to stop. Whilst the two paramedics were busy resuscitating the injured man paramedics heard tires screaming behind them and suddenly two cars collided into the scene they were working at.

A VW Golf and a Opel Corsa collided with each other on the scene. Both of the vehicles collided with such a force that they landed on the opposite side of the N12 Highway and flew over the middle island barrier. The VW Golf landed against a stationary Tow Truck and the Opel Corsa not far from it. Stunned paramedics realized that they were almost hit by the two vehicles if they did not run from the scene.

Due to the serious accident that just occurred, they had no choice but to declare the man dead, that allegedly fell from the back of a bakkie and treat the other serious injured patients on the scene. The man showed no signs of life and could not be resuscitated at the time.

The two paramedics called for back-up and quickly learned that a female driver - believed to be in her late 20's - sustained massive head injuries and was not breathing. Advanced Life Support manoeuvres had to be implemented to save her life. Another female passenger in the Opel Corsa sustained only minor injuries and was treated on the scene by the paramedics. The driver of the VW Golf - who allegedly caused the accident - also sustained minor injuries. He was arrested by Metro Police on scene.

The young driver of the Opel Corsa was still trapped in her vehicle and had to be rescued from her vehicle. She was transported in a critical condition to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

Due to the possible negligence of one single driver on the scene, another has been seriously injured. Paramedics and Metro Police Officials could have been seriously injured or even killed in last night's accident.

Cash In Transit Accident

Today the Law Enforcement Officers from Roodepoort showed what they are made of. At approximately 15h00 this afternoon, a Cash-In-Transit Vehicle was involved in a motor vehicle accident along with two other civilian vehicles.

ER24 Emergency Services responded to the accident just outside of Flora Clinic (Constantia Drive & William Nicol North Road). Paramedics that were sitting outside of the casualty at the time explained that they heard tires screaming and saw the vehicles colliding with each other.

Paramedics raced to the scene of the accident, only to find the cash-carrying vehicle off the road. At first paramedics thought the accident was an attempted heist. Fortunately, only one person (female from the civilian vehicle) sustained minor injuries when the cash van collided with her vehicle. She was transported to the Flora Clinic in a stable condition.

Less than five minutes after the crash, Metro Police's Bike Squad arrived on scene with full force and followed by the West Rand Flying Squad and Florida SAPS. Roodepoort SAPS arrived shortly after. It was amazing to see the Law Enforcement Officials arriving on a scene with such force and motivation. They were prepared for anything.

Their response time was outstanding and their eagerness to assist was of the highest value. The Metro Police and SAPS units remained on scene to protect the vehicle and its fully loaded assets whilst paramedics assessed the guards of the vehicle.

Surely the officers who attended to the scene are dedicated to their job and do not hesitate to enter any situation to save a life or combat crime.

The two civilian vehicles were severely damaged in the accident and the robots are damaged as well. The intersection was manned by the Metro Police to ensure the safety of the other motorists.

The scene was cleared at approximately 17h20 and all of the emergency services only left when the scene was cleared.

The cause for the accident could not be determined on the scene and traffic was severely backed up.

Healthcare Providers Abandon Patients

As the standoff between the Healthcare Unions and Government continues, the healthcare crisis worsens. Lives are literally hanging in the balance as government has called on the private healthcare sector and the military to assist them to save lives.

The Intensive Care Unit at King Edward VIII hospital is closed with padlocks and chains on the front doors and beds lying strewn around in the corridors, empty. There is an eerie silence in the corridors of the abandoned wards.

The crisis in the King Edward VIII hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) continues as more babies are being transferred to private hospitals in and around the Greater Durban area. Doctors have been left to run the unit on their own as even the skeleton staff has been forced to leave their posts by striking union workers. There were two nurses who were at work on the first day of the strike however union workers infiltrated the wards and intimidated the staff to leave against their will, leaving the unit with no nurses and many critically ill babies, barely clinging to life.

Dr KL Naidoo, a specialist doctor at the NICU has been working tirelessly with other doctors for the last 3 days to balance life and death and do his best to help these innocent young children. Hospital management called on the private healthcare sector hospitals and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) – being ER24, and has asked us to assist with the transfer of 22 critically ill babies to various private hospitals in the city. The crisis has now reached a new level as now the private sector hospitals are also all full. Where do we send these babies now? In a last minute attempt to save a baby’s life, an aero medical helicopter was called in to airlift baby Siyanda Nkala to St Annes Hospital in Pietermaritzburg. This prematurely born infant has underdeveloped lungs and requires constant monitoring and specialist care, or he will die. He is just 24 days old. Another baby is to be airlifted by helicopter to Empangeni Garden Clinic and another is being taken in a specially equipped ER24 ambulance to Parklands Hospital NICU.

Military medics have been called in to assist the doctors who are working under extreme conditions. Soldiers dressed in military uniforms can be seen in all the wards of the hospital, administering medications and monitoring drips. There is also a strong SAPS presence at the hospital. Doctors who should be caring for the greater health of the patients have to help family members change clothing, bath patients and change bedpans. Relatives are bringing in food for patients, some who have not eaten for days. Patients are being moved to central wards and the staffs from various departments that have come in are all being combined to care for everyone as best they can.

ER24 have noted a dramatic increase in the number of emergency calls being attended to as well as the number of inter-hospital transfers which have taken place. All available resources have been allocated and additional staff called in to assist with the crisis. The problem which we are facing at present is that now the private hospitals are full and paramedics who are attending to serious cases – car accidents, shootings, hijackings etc as well as serious medical calls – heart attacks, strokes, respiratory emergencies etc, have nowhere to take the patients. The paramedics end up driving around with critical patients on board trying in vain to save their lives while they find a hospital to accommodate them. The government hospitals are turning the patients away because of understaffing from the strike and the private hospitals are full. Where do we go? Last night an armed response guard with a gunshot wound to his neck in Waterfall spent an extra 30 minutes being stabilized in the back of an ambulance whilst waiting for a receiving hospital.

ER24 Dispatch Centre did a bed status check for the Life Healthcare Hospitals and currently only Life: Westville hospital has two general ICU beds and two cardiac ICU beds. All the other hospitals are full; these include Life: Entabeni, Life: Mt Edgecombe, Life: Crompton and Life: Chatsmed Gardens. Nobody has any Neonatal ICU beds left.

Accident victims turned away from hospital by staff

ER24 paramedics were placed in a predicament this afternoon at 3pm. We attended to a minibus taxi which had been involved in an accident on the Inkhosi Albert Luthuli Highway (M4 South) just after the Quality Street offramp. The driver of the taxi lost control after his back tyre came off causing the taxi to flip over onto it’s side at speed, before grinding to a hault. ER24 paramedics stabilised the injured and transported 6 patients (4 women, 2 men – black) from the taxi through to Wentworth Provincial Hospital. They had sustained suspected neck and back injuries.

It is protocol for ambulance companies to phone ahead and update a hospital when we are bringing in mass casualties, in order to allow the staff to prepare themselves. When the ER24 Dispatch Centre in Durban contacted Wentworth hospital, they were told not to bring the patients there. Despite the fact that the hospital is approximately 2km from the accident site, and the closest most appropriate medical facility, the patients were turned away. Doctor Ramnath spoke to ER24 and advised that she did not have enough staff to cope with the patients. Unfortunately ER24 had no alternative but to take the patients to Wentworth and hand the patients over to the skeleton staff. We are faced with a “Catch 22” situation in that they are understaffed, however, so are the other government hospitals and the same response would be given there.

If the patient is critical and in danger of dying, we will not hesitate to stay and assist the doctors and nurses in the government hospital, to stabilise that patient. Again, we cannot just standby and allow people to die as a result of the strike action. Yesterday morning, there was allegedly only 1 junior nurse in the King Edward VIII hospital ICU, for 8 patients. ICU protocols are that there should be one nurse for every patient. At 25% staff capacity, there is no way that the hospital can cope with the amount of patients that they have.

This is a true crisis and we hope that the government and union workers can reach a resolution quickly, in the best interests of the patients and to ensure that no more lives are lost as a result of the strike.

Specialised paramedics called in to transfer babies from Govt hospitals because of strike

ER24 (& NetCare 911) have been called upon by Government to assist with the safe transportation of critically ill babies from King Edward VIII hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit through to various Private hospitals in and around the Greater Durban area. These include Isipingo Medical Towers, Kingsway hospital, Life : Westville hospital & Life : Chatsmed hospital. The reason for the request is that there is insufficient staff, during the strike, to cope with the number of ill babies. The strike action by union Government workers has forced doctors and hospital management to rather move the babies to where they can be adequately cared for. The strike action has left the children in extreme danger. These are the sickest of the sick babies, requiring specialist equipment and specially trained staff to care for them.

ER24’s Advanced Life Support Critical Care team was called in to assist and over 3 babies have been moved in the specially equipped ambulance. According to our paramedics, Netcare 911 have moved about 7 babies. (Chris Botha to confirm). Special transport incubators and ventilators which are specifically designed for the ventilation of new born babies have been used. Most of these babies have been born prematurely and their little lungs are not fully developed. They require ventilation and medication and specialist care until their lungs grow enough to allow the babies to breath properly on their own. The private sector has always been here to complement the existing government sector and we are pleased to report that this Public Private Partnership has worked to save the lives of these very tiny little VIP’s.

During the strike action, ER24 has placed extra resources on duty to cope with the added workload. Whilst we sympathise with the plight of the healthcare workers, as well as with government, we cannot standby as healthcare professionals and watch patients suffer or die as result of the strike. Questions have been raised by the media as to whether this is a profitable business venture by the private Emergency Medical Service (EMS) companies. It is not. We have not negotiated payment from Government and we are not guaranteed to be paid. Right now we are putting lives first and finances later.

I will keep you updated of any more developments as they happen. We have been asked to move additional adult patients to various hospitals in the Durban area as well. 7 patients are currently being transported by ambulance to Umhlanga hospital.

Police Cause Accident, Flee Scene, Crash Again

In a bizarre twist, ER24 paramedics responded to two separate accidents this evening involving the same SAPS patrol vehicle. In the first accident, we responded to the N3 Spaghetti Junction where a SAPS vehicle from Inanda allegedly collided with the back of a civilian motor vehicle in the wet weather. This happened just before 7pm. Instead of stopping to assist the motorists and assessing if they were alright, the SAPS vehicle allegedly sped off leaving the civilians stranded in the rain, with a severely damaged vehicle. Fortunately there were no injuries at the scene. The civilians pointed out that the police vehicle had taken the N2 freeway and headed north towards Umhlanga.

While paramedics were still at this scene, we were called to the N2 north just after the Spaghetti Junction for a report of a serious accident involving another SAPS vehicle. When we arrived we found the SAPS vehicle that had allegedly fled the scene of the first accident, as well as another two vehicles. The Inanda SAPS vehicle had broken down in the fast lane and another SAPS patrol vehicle from KwaMashu had stopped to assist him. It was then that tragedy struck again when a civilian bakkie skidded into the back of the KwaMashu SAPS vehicle, causing both vehicles to spin out of control. Fortunately no police members were injured in the accident however a civilian from the bakkie was taken to hospital by ER24 ambulance.

The injured man sustained suspected neck and back injuries. He is in a stable condition at Durban’s Addington hospital.

Traffic was backed up past Spaghetti Junction as well as on the onramps from the N3 as the cars were spread over 2 of the 3 lanes of the busy highway. The wet weather was a concern as motorists continued to drive at normal speeds despite the added danger of aquaplaning their vehicles.
It is not known at this stage whether the SAPS member has been charged.

War on Jo'burg Streets

A bloody shoot-out between taxis occurred this afternoon in several areas of Johannesburg. The most serious shoot-out occurred at the Bree Street taxi rank in the Johannesburg CBD where six people were seriously injured.

At approximately 12h47 this afternoon paramedics treated a man next to the Christiaan De Wet bridge in Roodepoort for a gunshot to his abdomen.

Moments later, paramedics were called out to Christiaan De Wet Road for another shooting. This time two females. aged 24 and 23, were shot by people allegedly driving passed a taxi they were travelling in. The 24 year old sustained serious injuries when one of the bullets went into her chest. The 23 year old was shot in the face. Both of these patients were transported in a serious condition to the Helen Joseph Hospital.

Paramedics also received reports of a taxi shoot-out at the corners of Hendrik Potgieter and Doreen Roads. At this stage we cannot confirm how many people were injured in this incident. At approximately 12h59 paramedics were called out to assist with another taxi shooting on the corners of Hendrik Potgieter and Albert Streets. Two people were shot at this intersection, but were already removed to a nearby hospital by bystanders when paramedics arrived.

At approximately 13h15 paramedics were again, called out to the Bree Street Taxi Rank where absolute chaos broke loose. Six people were shot in a huge shoot-out between taxis. Paramedics arrived on scene, escorted by police, only to find that people laid scattered down the road next to the taxi rank. An elderly male had a gunshot wound in his chest and had no pulse or breathing at the time.

Paramedics from ER24 and NetCare applied effective CPR and managed to get a pulse back. The man was stabilized and transported to the Queen Elizabeth Bridge where he was airlifted by helicopter to the Baragwanath Hospital. Unfortunately he died on arrival at hospital.

Five other people, amongst them one lady, were treated for serious gunshot wounds. Most of them were shot in the chest, abdominal area and head. They were all stabilized on scene and rushed off to nearby hospitals. Paramedics had no reports of any fatalities on any of the scenes.

Whilst paramedics were busy assisting patients at the Bree Street Taxi Rank, ER24 received another emergency call out for patients that have been shot by taxis on the corners of Beyers Naude and Christiaan De Wet Drives. Paramedics, however could not find any injured people at this intersection, but police activity was present.

Photos: Werner Beukes & Werner Vermaak

Six Hour Ordeal After Mountain Fall

A Midrand women had to be rescued this morning after she plunged more than 15 metres down a mountain at a resort in the Vredefort area.

At approximately 09h30 this morning ER24 responded to a distress call from the Thabelo Thabong Mountain Resort. Paramedics arrived at the foot of the mountain and feared for the worst after a brief history was received from bystanders and fellow climbers. A lady, believed to be in her late 20's, was climbing with a group of other climbers at the Vredefort Chimney when she allegedly slipped and fell down.

Fellow climbers said she fell right down to the bottom and landed head first against a branch. If she hadn't collided with the branch on the way down, she would have most probably fell more than 10 metres further. Panicked climbers contacted ER24. Paramedics had to hike up the mountain to find the critically injured woman. After approximately 45 minutes they reached the woman and could assess and treat her for her injuries.

She laid face down with her head between rocks and branches and was in excruciating pain. She sustained multiple facial lacerations and two broken ankles. Due to the cold weather and injuries she sustained slight hypothermia and was treated on scene. Paramedics soon realised that they had to call in specialized rescue teams. About 15 rescuers from ER24, Parys EMS, Parys Fire, Klerksdorp Mountain Rescue and the Mountain Rescue Club of South Africa (Pretoria) joined forces to stabilize and rescue the woman. Paramedics and rescuers on scene immobilised the woman upside down in order to free her from her entrapment between the rocks and branches.

The Mountain Rescue Club of South Africa was contacted to assist with a helicopter. An Aurex Military Helicopter was dispatched to assist the rescuers and evacuate the woman. Rescuers had to lower the woman down with ropes and cables a further 15 metres so she could be accessed by the helicopter. At approximately 14h30 she was hoisted into the helicopter from the mountain and flown through to the Unitas Hospital in Pretoria where she will be treated for her injuries. She is in a stable condition.

Paramedics were constantly monitored for hypothermia and changed from the rescue site continuously due to the cold wind and temperatures. It is not clear if this is the first time that the woman was climbing the route. This was the second mountain rescue for the ER24 Rescue Team in the Vredefort area.

Last year ER24 was also contacted for a rescue in the mountain after a patient fell down and sustained serious injuries.