Healthworker raped by 2 men, clinic closed
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NHLANGANO – Zombodze Clinic has been closed until further notice, after a healthcare worker at the hospital was raped by two men.
The incident is said to have happened at around 6pm last Wednesday. It was gathered that the employee stepped out of her house to throw trash and when she returned, she found herself in the company of two men; one of whom was carrying a bush knife.
It was said that the two locked the door and took the health worker’s phones. “They further cooked food while holding her hostage,” narrated the source. It was said that while cooking, the duo allegedly raped her repeatedly.
It was said that having finished cooking, the duo ate and further spent the night at the health worker’s house.
Attempts
It was gathered that there were failed attempts by the healthcare worker to get out of bed, as each time she tried, the rapists would grab her. In the morning, it was said that the two woke up, cleaned the house and further made breakfast.
Sources also disclosed said that they further took a bath and left around 11am. “It was immediately after they had left that the healthcare worker was able to raise the alarm about the incident,” narrated the source.
A senior matron from the institution also had to run for cover recently.
It was said she was trying to address an issue of water, which the community was fetching inside the health centre, but when she approached the group of men who were fetching the water, one of them drew a bush knife and she ran for cover.
“The water issue was reported before and the senior matron witnessed it as other healthcare workers were also threatened with bush knives,” narrated one of the sources stationed at the clinic.
Information sourced from a community leader, who did not want to be named, was that the incident was not the first and it was now concerning. It was also gathered that previously, a male teacher of Zombodze High School, was attacked by unknown people in his house and tortured the whole night.
In a different incident, a female primary school teacher was attacked by two men who wanted to rape her, but were disturbed by people who heard the teacher raising the alarm and came to her rescue.
Also, two security guards were shot while on duty in the area by unknown thieves. One of the security personnel was said to be an elderly man of the area, Ngozo, who was manning a supermarket and he died on the spot, while the other, who was a clinic security guard survived.
Reason
It was established that the reason the clinic did not have security had to do with fear among the community members. It was said that the security guard was paid by the community and some of the money paid for hospital services.
“People ended up fearing the job following the attacks,” narrated a community member.
Zombodze Emuva Constituency Indvuna Bheki Ngwenya, said they heard the news and were still reeling from shock. He said they had since reported the matter to the elders of the community.
There will be a community meeting
NHLANGANO – The community of Zombodze feels the need for a police post in the area.
According to some of the interviewed community members, they were exposed as they were close to the borderline. They stated that they did not know the criminals but felt they would easily sneak out of the country given the close proximity with the borderline.
They further said the Nhlangano Police Station was too far as by the time police officers got to the area, the thieves could have been long gone.
“We are requesting for a police post, especially because this is a densely populated area,” remarked one of the community members.
on Wednesday, wherein the constituency, chiefdom and health centre stakeholders, will be present to map a way forward.
“We are hoping for a long-lasting solution. We condemn such cruelty,” Ngwenya said.
Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni confirmed a reported rape incident at Zombodze Clinic. She stated that police were still investigating the matter, while she also invited those with information to report at Nhlangano Police Station.