Copper Thieves Endanger 24 Patients at Chris Hani Baragwanath, SA Says Criminals Are “Heartless”

• At least 24 patients' lives were put on the line at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital on Monday, 19 December
• A 10-metre copper pipe which supplies oxygen to sections of the central intensive care unit was stolen by copper thieves
• Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has condemned the theft and called for the swift arrest of the criminals

JOHANNESBURG - Copper cable thieves put the lives of 24 patients at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital at risk after stealing essential piping on Monday, 19 December.

The 10-metre copper pipe supplies oxygen to sections of the main intensive care unit (ICU), leaving patients with lower-than-normal levels. When clinicians noticed the drop in oxygen levels, they reported the matter to the department of infrastructure development.

According to TimesLIVE, the report led to the discovery that the pipe had been tampered with. Diepkloof police are investigating a case.

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Of the 24 patients, 19 were on life support and dependent on oxygen access through artificial ventilation. Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has condemned the theft.

She called for those responsible for the theft to be charged with attempted murder for putting the patients' lives at risk.

The MEC said patients had to be immediately moved to another ward, where they continued receiving oxygen while the copper pipe was replaced, EWN reported.

Citizens angered by incident:

Rendani Peace said:

“This is treason. It must be treated as such these people must get 200 years when they are caught; we can’t be held hostage by thieves.”

Marion Presbury commented:

“South Africa has lost its moral focus.”

Lebo Livhuwani wrote:

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“These people are heartless. This is very sad.”

Maemo Maseleme posted:

“The metal industry must be shut down, that’s the only way forward in this country.”

Nkagisang Modikele added:

“How on earth did the criminals get inside without security seeing them unless they have a security shortage there?”

Government halts scrap metal exports in a bid to prevent theft and vandalism as theft costs SA millions

Briefly News also reported that the government had taken drastic measures to end copper theft, robbing the South African economy of billions. A six-month ban has been placed on the export of scrap and waste metal to make it harder for criminals to sell stolen materials.

Copper cable theft is a severe problem in South Africa that not only makes power outages worse and leaves trains stranded but also costs the South African economy approximately R130 million daily.

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Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel revealed during a media briefing in Cape Town that scrap metal theft is crippling the rail transport and electricity output to the point where production has suffered, economic growth has been inhibited, and service delivery has been stifled.

Source: Briefly News