News24 | Female security guard attacked at North West clinic amid violent demands for treatment priority

A female security guard at a healthcare centre in Brits was assaulted by a group of men. (Google street view, August 2022)

• A female security guard at a healthcare centre in Brits was assaulted by a group of men.
• The men refused to be searched and hurled insults at the security official before assaulting her.
• She sustained bruises in the assault.

A female security officer at the Bapong Community Health Centre in Brits, North West, was allegedly assaulted during an altercation with a group of individuals who were demanding to skip the queue and have their injured friend treated first.

The incident stemmed from a violent brawl involving two men at a tavern on Sunday morning. Police said the fight escalated and ended with the men "stabbing each other".

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Both sustained injuries and were taken to the health facility for medical attention. 

A group arrived at the clinic and demanded that one of the stabbed men, who they said was their friend, be cared for first. 

Police spokesperson, Colonel Adele Myburgh, said a 45-year-old female security guard had attempted to intervene but was attacked.

"The security guard was slapped by a friend of one of the injured males," she added. 

She confirmed that a case of common assault was under investigation.

Meanwhile, two cases of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm have been registered in connection with the tavern brawl. 

"The men allegedly fought at a tavern, stabbing each other, and have since filed cases against one another," Myburgh said.

"Police investigations are ongoing." 

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North West health department spokesperson Tshegofatso Mothibedi said the group, who were suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, had arrived at the health facility in the early hours of Sunday morning.

"They refused to be searched by our security officials and demanded to skip the queue to be attended to immediately. They hurled insults and assaulted the security official who attempted to maintain order in the facility," he said.

Mothibedi added that no healthcare staff had been injured during the scuffle but that the "security official sustained bruises during the altercation".

"A criminal case has been opened, and we are awaiting the conclusion of the police investigation," he said.