Mense are being urged to report incidents following attacks on firefighters and paramedics.
An Emergency Medical Service (EMS) vehicle came under attack in Betty Street, Avonwood, on Saturday while responding to a call-out.
The Western Cape Health and Wellness Department said the incident occurred just after 3pm, when gunmen opened fire on the ambulance.
EMS media liaison Megan Davids said: “We cannot report the damage to the vehicle at the moment, but we can confirm that both crew members are, thankfully, unharmed but are traumatised by the ordeal.”
Davids said the incident was reported to the police.
Davids said while safety measures, such as police escorts, are in place, “safeguarding EMS staff is a collective duty of the community.”
Meanwhile, Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City’s Fire and Rescue Services, says Khayelitsha firefighters were attacked in Macassar last Wednesday.
Carelse says the incident was reported at 16:30 when personnel responded to a house fire in Gail Arendse Street, Macassar Village.
He says crews from Khayelitsha, Mfuleni and Bellville were dispatched to the scene.
“Upon the arrival of the crews from Khayelitsha, members of the community stoned the fire engine. Stones were directly thrown at the driver and officer – substantial damage was caused, and the crew had to withdraw from the area,” Carelse said.
The impacted employees received counselling, and a chaplain was dispatched to visit them at the Khayelitsha Fire Station.
Safety and security mayco member JP Smith says replacing specialised equipment can take months, and those most affected are vulnerable people in communities.
Carelse added: “Our firefighters put their lives on the line to save lives and property. I urge our communities to report the perpetrators of these acts of violence. We condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”
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