S.Africa: Crime: nurses traumatised after being hijacked and robbed by armed men
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Two nurses — part of a roving HIV/Aids health team — were left traumatised after they were ambushed and hijacked outside Pietermaritzburg on Friday.
KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala described the incident as “barbaric and shameful”, at a media briefing on Sunday.
He said the incident happened near Thornville on Friday morning.
“These nurses, aged 32 and 42, were part of the HIV/Aids roving team and had been transporting patients in the Hopewell area.
“When they got to a remote part of the road, they came under attack from three armed men who were travelling in a white bakkie. The men blocked the nurses’ path, and forced them off the road.
“They abducted them and drove them to a secluded area where they took their valuables including handbags and cellphones and then dumped them near a bush.”
Zikalala said the men escaped in the nurses’ state vehicle, a white Toyota Avanza.
“While we are grateful that these nurses were not physically harmed, it has nevertheless left them with psychological scars that will take time to overcome.
“This is a very barbaric, shameful and cowardly act and we urge anyone with information to urgently contact the police.”