Traumatised staff 'getting help'

2007-10-19 21:14

Johannesburg - Sheshego hospital near Polokwane has not been shut down though work load has been decreased after a sacked employee shot and killed four workers.

Staff members were traumatised, said hospital spokesperson Phuti Seloba.

Counsellors were on the scene of the shooting to talk to traumatised members of staff.

"Social workers and psychologists are taking employees aside to assist them to deal with the trauma," said Seloba.

Patients were being transferred to other hospitals in the region to ease the load of shaken staff members.

"We have not closed the hospital, it remains open and running but what we are doing is to reduce the level of work load on the traumatised members of staff by taking some patients to other hospitals," said Seloba.

Shooter arrested

The victims of the shootings at Seshego hospital, near Polokwane in northern Limpopo province, included the chief executive officer, the human resource manager and the administration officer. The fourth employee has not been named.

The gunman was later arrested in the grounds of the hospital, still in possession of the weapon.

"The man had been sacked and handed his dismissal notice," Senior Superintendent Motlafela Mojapelo told AFP.

"He left the hospital but returned later, telling the security guards that he had been called to fetch something."

While he was being escorted into the administration area, he then overpowered one of the guards, seizing his weapon, Mojapelo added.

A spokesperson for the provincial health department said the gunman, who was employed as a driver, had been fired for misconduct after being involved in a hit-and-run accident while driving a car which he had stolen from the hospital.

"He had a case of misconduct after stealing a company car. He hit and killed a pedestrian and ran away," the spokesman Phuti Seloba told AFP.

"He was traced and we suspended him and found him guilty.

"Today he was coming to collect his dismissal letter when he shot the four employees".

Seloba said the man was arrested shortly after his shooting spree, with police apprehending him while still inside the hospital premises.

"He is in custody, he was arrested inside the hospital still wielding a gun," he said.

- AFP