PATIENTS, STAFF FLEE AS EMABENJAMIN INVADE GOVT HOSPITAL

MBABANE – Patients and medical staff had to run for cover when a group of about 10 men, who were avenging a friend’s death, invaded the Mbabane Government Hospital and caused destruction to property on Friday morning.

The men were armed with bush knives and other weapons. This happened during the wee hours of Christmas eve, around midnight, after a night of fun at Yemfo Bar in Mbabane city centre. A man, identified as Sabelo Dlamini (25), was stabbed with a knife in the left side of his upper abdomen. The man was rushed to the Mbabane Government Hospital only to be declared dead upon arrival. The over 10 men, including the deceased, were reported to be part of a gang known as emaBenjamin, a notorious gang from Mvutjini in Ezulwini.

According to impeccable sources, the group arrived at the Casualty Department of the hospital with their friend and requested for assistance from the nurses on duty. Upon attendance, the doctor and nurses confirmed the man dead, which was when chaos erupted. The group of men began harassing the healthcare workers, demanding that their friend be resuscitated as they believed that the medical practitioners could have saved his life had they attended to him earlier. Some of the healthcare workers who were on duty, in fear for their lives, used windows to escape at the Casualty Department. This is after the ‘gang’, who were infuriated at the time, attempted to forcefully gain entry into the consultation room, where only staff is allowed, by kicking and damaging the glass door using the bush knives and other weapons.

An insider confided that one of the healthcare workers strained himself while escaping through a window. One of the healthcare workers managed to call the police, who swiftly responded. He narrated that upon arrival, the police had to fire several warning shots to disperse the gang. After hearing the gunshots, the source said the gang ran in different directions and the police managed to arrest two of the assailants, who are currently detained at the Mbabane Police Station.
They are expected to appear at the Mbabane Magistrates Court today, facing charges of malicious injury to property.

“It was quite bad. The men, who seemed to be gang affiliates, insisted that the nurses on duty resuscitate their already dead friend and threatened to cause commotion, which they did,” said the source. In a questionable state of sobriety, according to the insider, the men are said to have damaged property belonging to the hospital, which included a glass door and terrorised the patients who were also being attended to on the night at the Casualty Department.

Gripe

“The main gripe the men had was the death of one of their own and they took it upon themselves to terrorise everyone at the casualty room simply because they wanted their friend to be brought back to life. What made the situation worse was that they were armed with all sorts of weapons and the harassment went on for quite some time,” said the source. It was further gathered that while some of the men were terrorising those inside the hospital, others were waiting outside seething with anger over the death of one of their own.

This scenario played itself out for two hours as they insisted that they would not leave without their friend being brought back to life. When reached for comment, the Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, confirmed that a group of men had invaded the government hospital on December 24, 2021, and she also made her way to the hospital to assess the damage. Through a statement released on December 25, 2021, the minister stated that the ministry was deeply concerned about the safety of staff and the smooth running of hospital casualty departments that were in high demand during the festive season.

“We strongly condemn the actions that occurred at Mbabane Government Hospital in the early hours of December 24, 2021, where healthcare workers of the facility were attacked and robbed of their belongings, while doors and windows of the facility were vandalised and a patient traumatised by a mob that terrorised the facility for two hours.” She further requested everyone to respect those who gave up their time with family to serve the nation. “There is never an instance where violence and vandalism should happen in hospitals, let alone a national referral hospital that receives all the complicated cases from across the country. We are deeply concerned for patient safety as everyone should feel safe when seeking healthcare,” stated the minister.

She thanked all the affected workers within the Mbabane Government Hospital for the professionalism they showed by returning to work after such a traumatic experience. “Following the incidence at the hospital, the facility will apply more stringent security measures to improve the safety of healthcare workers, patients and property in and around the hospital. EmaSwati are humbly requested to bear with us in this regard,” concluded the statement. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent PhindileVilakati said two arrests had been made so far.

“One was arrested in connection with malicious injury to property at the hospital while the other, a 36-year-old man, for having a hand in the murder,” she said.
In 2020, an almost similar incident happened in the same hospital, when a doctor was attacked by relatives while on duty. The incident is said to have occurred in full view of members of the public with no security personnel in sight. The issue of the lack of security at the hospital was once forwarded to the Health Ministry, through a petition that was delivered by nurses last year.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: