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.”
TimesLIVE
KZN nurses traumatised after being hijacked and robbed by armed men
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.”
TimesLIVE