Emergency? You’re on your own

ON FRIDAY, May 11, my son Jacques went to his friend Steven’s house, about two blocks away.

About 15 minutes later, at 5.30pm, I received a call from a hysterical Jacques. All he said was: “Get an ambulance, Steven has been shot and is lying bleeding at my feet.”

I phoned the emanzimtoti SAPS – no one answered. I phoned 911 – I received a lecture about how illegal it is for an MTN user to misuse this number. I eventually hung up as I could no longer listen to the droning voice, stating the obvious, with obviously no intention of connecting me to a human.

I phoned 10111 – I was given some options (press 1 for an emergency, 2 for bla bla bla) so I pressed and listened to music until I felt that my head would explode and put the phone down.

Then I started the entire process again, but at the same time getting my father to phone any emergency number he could find. He, too, had no luck.

In between calls I phoned my daughter to try to get hold of someone.

To cut a long, agonising, horrible story short, the ambulance has still to come. One police vehicle pitched up when a paramedic from Netcare, who my daughter happens to know and phoned in desperation, picked up something about the incident on their radio.

After waiting for help for nearly 30 minutes, Steven was taken to hospital by car by Jacques and two neighbours. He died after two hours. He was 23, finished his studies last year, started working this year and had big plans for the future.

I needed to relate the above as I need people to be aware of the fact that we are on our own. Please do not be in denial. No one is safe. Not even in your own house or backyard.