Bara hospital pleads with thieves
CHRIS Hani-Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto experienced two power failures in just one week as a result of cable theft.
BaraIt could be your relative in theatre getting an operation when the power goes off
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The first outage occurred on Thursday and the second on Saturday, leaving 16 operating theatres without electricity.
To make matters worse, three of the 16 generators failed to kick in.
The generators that failed to start supply power to both the intensive care unit and the St John's Eye Hospital.
Hospital CEO Johanna More said the failures were due to cable theft. "The community should stop stealing cables because it affects hospital operations and the patients," More said.
Thieves should think about the health of patients. "It could be your relative in theatre getting an operation when the power goes off. Help us so we can help you".
She blamed the hospital's department of infrastructure and development for the generators not kicking in due to damaged switches.
"The department should have known about this because they service the generators.
"The department is also responsible for lifts and the hospital electricity."
An employee at the department, who did not want to be named, said: "The hospital generators are old but a major service takes place once a year, along with testing once every month".
They were aware of the broken switches, and the failure of the generators not operating was because they had to be activated manually.
Their main challenge was that in winter there was a power overload, with every office having a heater.
DA Gauteng health spokesman Jack Bloom criticised the hospital.
"Doctors had to use headlamps and torches to complete operations.
"Cable theft has been given as a reason, but this is a poor excuse as R20 million a year is spent on security at the hospital.
"Last year there were a whole lot of power failures that we were told would not happen again. There needs to be accountability for the latest power failures."
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Comments
RobinH
I find it so hard to understand how people can knowingly disable health facility in this way. It happesn frequently at the hospital I work at, as well. Yet the thieves expect us to provide a service to them and their families. I don't get it.Report Abuse
Papage
Where are the police and the security guards? how do you pleads with thiefs? the very same people if they get electrocuted they will want the hospital to help them, I think we need to punish Ezinyoka heavely, Where is Bheki, I think we need him back in the police.Report Abuse
MommaC
These thieves would se11 their own grandmothers for scrap if they could. I doubt that appealing to their better natures will be of any useReport Abuse
Kennito
Please Gents, leave Bara and "work" on the e-toll. Thousands of South Africans need your help urgently to get finish and klaar with e-tolling forever. Please consider our request.Report Abuse
RobinH
Morning everyone. MommaC, Hi. A spot of hor ror news on this morning: In a bit of a state of shock today. My nephew who lives near Nkandhla with his w!fe and 2 kids (boy of 9 and girl of 6) were attacked in their home by 7 armed men. They put g u n s to the children's heads and demanded all valuables, ID documents, drivers; licences, cellphones computers and money or they would sh o ot the kids. Obviously Chris gave them everything they demanded and miraculously the assailants left without harming them any further. We are all stunned.Report Abuse
Bra_NeatDick
eish madoda, R20M on security en dis still happens. dats a whole Kimberly or Nelspruit or Bloemfontein police force.Report Abuse
Catswhiskers
Wouldn't life in SA be cushy if thieves just listened to the pleas from the peeps.The simple fact that they steal from hospitals, churches, the elderly, children, etc. should say it all.
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Catswhiskers
@RobinHSorry to hear your news. Isn't it sad that we should be grateful that your family came to no harm?
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RobinH
Catswhiskers: Thanks. It's awful, and yes, it is sad that a lovely young family just trying to get by should be exposed to such terror.Report Abuse
thought2U
Wake up South Africa, we are engaged in a low intensity civil war. The trappings of commerce and other ecomonic activities merely cloak the reality of this war. No-one will admit the truth, for to do so is to admit we live a failed state. The insurgents are in and their predatory behaviour becomes more brazen by the week. Their numbers will soon be augmented with the release of prisoners. They know they can rob and steal at will, because the SAPS are poorly led, understaffed, under-resourced and untrained to take on this sort of insurgency. The sanctity of life means nothing to these insurgents. The urban sprawl and inaccessibility of many places provides a unique terrain for these insurgents in which to operate. No-one, least of all the Government will admit to this truth - civil life is threatened and the state is under seige, both within through corruption and without through rampant criminality.Report Abuse
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