Pretoria - Two officials working as food service aids at Letaba Hospital in Limpopo have been arrested and charged with theft after they were found in possession of groceries allegedly stolen from the facility’s storehouse.
Limpopo Health spokesperson Thilivhali Muavha said the two staff members were arrested on Monday morning as they were heading home, after their night shift.
“This after they were found in possession of packs of groceries they allegedly stole from the hospital grocery storehouse. The two were arrested this morning while leaving the hospital after knocking off from night shift.
“It was then that the security personnel at the gate searched the car that the officials were travelling in and found six packs of groceries stashed in the boot,” said Muavha.
Police were called and arrested the two officials.
Meanwhile, Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba has applauded the security officers at the hospital for arresting the “ill-disciplined personnel”.
“Our department is operating from a shoe string budget as it is, we can't afford to have leakages of resources caused by unethical and ill-disciplined personnel. We therefore want to commend the security personnel for doing their work without fear or favour,” she said.
The MEC said unethical conduct such as theft, fraud or corruption “must be met with rage whenever they appear”.
Last week, community members stoned to death a man believed to be one of the armed suspects who robbed a group of women who had gathered for a stokvel in Limpopo. Another suspect fled into the Jane Furse Hospital, where he allegedly held security personnel hostage as the community pursued him.
The incident took place at Madibong village, outside Jane Furse on Friday night, at around midnight.
“Members of the Limpopo Highway Patrol in Sekhukhune were performing normal patrol duties when they received a back-up call from the police in Jane Furse about a robbery. They immediately went to the scene and upon arrival, they established that about 10 suspects, armed with pistols, had allegedly robbed stokvel ladies an amount of cash estimated to be around R50 000,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo.
One of the suspects was allegedly cornered by members of the community and he was stoned to death.
“It was further revealed that the community members continued to chase another suspect who then entered Jane Furse Hospital and held security personnel hostage at gunpoint. Members of Limpopo Highway Patrol, together with operational respond services joined forces to rescue the security guard,” Mojapelo said.
The 26-year-old suspect was subsequently arrested on the spot.
The other robbers fled the scene using a bakkie, which was later found abandoned at Mamone village.
“The hunt for the remaining suspects continues,” Mojapelo said.
IOL