A team of Durban medics almost became victims of crime when they were accosted by a gang of armed men in Ntuzuma on Sunday night.

The ambulance had responded to a medical emergency in the township and had been transporting their patient to hospital when they were confronted by the armed gang.

RescueCare spokesman Garrith Jamieson said that the ambulance had been on its way to hospital on an access road when the incident occured. “There are several large speed bumps on the road‚ which forced the driver to slow down. As he did so he noticed a group of men at the roadside who began to move toward the vehicle‚” he said.

Jamieson said the medic noticed that the men were armed and he acted instinctively‚ speeding up to avoid the group. “They then ran toward the ambulance and were banging on the side panels trying to get the driver to stop. We are very glad that both our patient and our paramedics emerged from the incident unscathed‚” he added.