31 March 2025
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in the North West expresses its profound outrage and condemnation of the violent attack on nurses and security personnel at Bapong Community Health Centre (CHC) in Brits, North West Province. In the early hours of March 30, 2025, community members stormed the facility, assaulting security guards and threatening nurses, forcing them to provide medical care under duress.
At approximately 4:00 AM, five male escorts arrived at the facility with an injured person, demanding immediate attention. At the time, the casualty unit was full, with nurses and a doctor attending to other critical patients. Instead of understanding the situation, the escorts insisted that all other patients be abandoned, and when a security officer attempted to intervene, he was violently beaten. Another security officer fled to seek reinforcements but never returned. In the face of escalating threats, nurses had no choice but to treat the injured individual while enduring fear and trauma.
This incident has once again exposed the glaring security failures at Bapong CHC, leaving healthcare workers vulnerable to violent attacks. The situation assessment conducted following the attack revealed shocking lapses in security, highlighting a complete failure to ensure the safety of both staff and patients.
This total lack of security has made Bapong CHC a soft target for violent incidents such as this one. DENOSA finds it utterly unacceptable that nurses must continue to work in such unsafe conditions, with no assurance that the facility can protect them when violence erupts. The attack at Bapong CHC is not an isolated incident—across the country, healthcare workers are increasingly facing intimidation and violence at the hands of those they serve, and yet, security measures remain woefully inadequate.
Following the attack, a high-level meeting was convened, including Madibeng Sub-District Management, Bojanala District Director, HR Manager, the Office of the MEC, MMC of Safety Madibeng, and Clinic Committee members. As an immediate response, the Office of the MEC for Security has committed to deploying two armed security officers to the facility, who will work around the clock until further notice, and the butler gate will be urgently repaired to prevent further breaches. Complaints about security personnel have been escalated for action, while affected nurses have been granted time off to recover. Additional maintenance, including fixing the main entrance gate, will be addressed within the week to strengthen overall security.
While DENOSA acknowledges the immediate interventions, we strongly emphasize that these stopgap measures are not enough. This recurrent pattern of violence against healthcare workers demands a comprehensive overhaul of security protocols in all healthcare facilities. DENOSA calls on the Department of Health to act decisively by ensuring that security personnel are adequately trained, properly equipped, and deployed in sufficient numbers. Furthermore, urgent infrastructure upgrades must be implemented to secure healthcare facilities, prevent unauthorized access, and protect staff from violent attacks.
Healthcare professionals dedicate their lives to saving others, often working under immense pressure and without adequate resources. It is utterly unacceptable that they must also fear for their own safety while doing their jobs. The attack on Bapong CHC nurses and security personnel must serve as a turning point—we demand concrete and long-term solutions to ensure that every healthcare worker in South Africa can work without fear, intimidation, or violence.
DENOSA stands in full solidarity with the affected staff at Bapong CHC and will continue to push for the urgent implementation of stronger security measures in all healthcare institutions. Healthcare workers must be protected, and those responsible for this attack must be held accountable.
Issued by:
DENOSA North West Provincial Secretary – Reuben Molete
Contact: 071 645 6336
DENOSA North West Provincial Chairperson – Mziwakhe Seleke
Contact: 0716436240
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