Two Gauteng emergency medical services officials escaped injury after their ambulance was allegedly spiked and shot at on the N1 near Pretoria while they were transporting a patient early on Saturday.
The Gauteng Department of Health said the crew was moving a patient from Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital to Jubilee Hospital when the ambulance developed trouble shortly after Phumlani Plaza at about 1.30am on 29 August.
According to the department, the officials stopped to inspect the vehicle. Two men then approached and fired shots. One crew member ran to safety while the other managed to drive the ambulance away from the immediate danger.
The patient was not injured and remained stable. Additional emergency crews transferred the patient to another ambulance and completed the journey to Jubilee Hospital, the department said.
Both EMS officials were taken for medical assessment. Gauteng Health has also activated its employee wellness services to support them after the ordeal.
Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said violence against ambulance crews placed both health workers and patients at risk. The department appealed for information that could assist police in tracing the attackers.
The South African Police Service responded to the scene with Gauteng EMS management and additional crews. No arrests had been announced by the time of publication.
The account was carried independently by The Citizen and RSG after the department issued its statement. Both reports said the ambulance crew and patient survived the incident.
The exact sequence leading to the vehicle stopping, including how the road hazard was placed, remains part of the police investigation. EBNewsDaily has therefore not identified the incident as a confirmed organised spike gang attack beyond the department’s allegation that the ambulance was spiked.
Ambulance teams regularly travel at night, enter unfamiliar areas and work at roadside scenes where they have little control over traffic or crime risks. An attack can remove a crew and vehicle from service while also delaying treatment for the patient already in their care.
Gauteng Health said attacks on EMS personnel undermine emergency services for entire communities, not only the officials directly targeted. The department said it remained committed to improving protection for frontline staff.
Anyone with information about the N1 shooting should provide it directly to the police rather than circulate unverified names or images on social media.
