Jeff Wicks, News24
Durban - Rustenburg police are investigating an alleged roadside brawl involving two paramedics from rival private ambulance services.
It is alleged that officials from Eagle Trauma Rescue and Med24/7, both based in Rustenburg, were involved in an altercation at an accident scene.
A video of the “fight”, which is understood to have taken place on Wednesday evening, was posted on Facebook on Thursday.
The video shows a confrontation between two men and a heated exchange of words, when one man appears to throw a punch, apparently striking the other.
Eagle Trauma Rescue owner, Wert Dippenaar, said his employee had registered a case of assault at the Rustenburg police station.
“He was also examined by a doctor and we have approached our attorneys on this matter. We arrived first at the accident scene and had everything under control when he [Med24/7 owner Marlin Kops] came and started interfering,” he alleged.
“He [Med24/7 owner Marlin Kops] was using his physical prowess to intimidate us and had taken issue with us transporting the patient,” he said.
News24 contacted Kops for comment.
“I never threw any punch, that is just speculation,” he said.
“Our attorneys are dealing with the matter and I won’t be commenting further,” he added.
Police spokesperson, Major Pelonomi Makau, confirmed that a case of assault had been registered and that the investigation would continue.
“The suspect will appear in court on August 18,” she said.
The lucrative business of private emergency services has boomed in South Africa, spawning hundreds of ambulance services that operate on the fringes of the service offered by the government.
News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Rival-Rustenburg-medics-in-roadside-brawl-20150813
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coJoap1lFAU
Durban - Rustenburg police are investigating an alleged roadside brawl involving two paramedics from rival private ambulance services.
It is alleged that officials from Eagle Trauma Rescue and Med24/7, both based in Rustenburg, were involved in an altercation at an accident scene.
A video of the “fight”, which is understood to have taken place on Wednesday evening, was posted on Facebook on Thursday.
The video shows a confrontation between two men and a heated exchange of words, when one man appears to throw a punch, apparently striking the other.
Eagle Trauma Rescue owner, Wert Dippenaar, said his employee had registered a case of assault at the Rustenburg police station.
“He was also examined by a doctor and we have approached our attorneys on this matter. We arrived first at the accident scene and had everything under control when he [Med24/7 owner Marlin Kops] came and started interfering,” he alleged.
“He [Med24/7 owner Marlin Kops] was using his physical prowess to intimidate us and had taken issue with us transporting the patient,” he said.
News24 contacted Kops for comment.
“I never threw any punch, that is just speculation,” he said.
“Our attorneys are dealing with the matter and I won’t be commenting further,” he added.
Police spokesperson, Major Pelonomi Makau, confirmed that a case of assault had been registered and that the investigation would continue.
“The suspect will appear in court on August 18,” she said.
The lucrative business of private emergency services has boomed in South Africa, spawning hundreds of ambulance services that operate on the fringes of the service offered by the government.
News24
Source
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Rival-Rustenburg-medics-in-roadside-brawl-20150813
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coJoap1lFAU
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