Two brave men, Sikhumbuzo Goso (67) and Thobile Madwaleni (65), lost their lives after confronting gangsters terrorizing their community in Willowvale. Despite their efforts to protect villagers, they were fatally shot, enduring a harrowing 12-hour wait for an ambulance on 24 November. Both succumbed to their injuries due to delays in reaching proper medical care. This heart-wrenching story highlights the tragic consequences of failing emergency services and the resilience of communities fighting for their safety.
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By Chris Steyn
Two Eastern Cape men who tried to protect villagers from gangsters, who had carried out a series of robberies, killing one victim, died following a 12-hour wait for an ambulance – after being shot by the thugs.
Mr Zola Goso told BizNews that his brother Mr Sikhumbuzo Goso, 67, and Mr Thobile Madwaleni, 65, of Willowvale in the Mbhashe Municipality were rushed to Willowvale Health Centre at about midnight on 24 November, but had to wait for an ambulance until noon the next day.Â
“When my brother finally reached Butterworth Hospital in the late afternoon, he had to be transferred to East London Hospital. So, we ended up hiring a private ambulance to take him, but unfortunately he succumbed to his injuries on arrival there at about 8pm.
“The guy who was shot with him also succumbed when he finally arrived at Butterworth Hospital early the next morning.”
Mr Goso described the reign of terror that had led up to his brother and Mr Madwaleni being shot.
“There’s a group of gangsters robbing village households. They came a week prior to the shooting and robbed firearms, money and TVs from two families in different villages. The following week, they returned to the second family they had robbed the previous week to target their tavern and shop. They shot and killed the son (Mr Asakhile Malandela, 22) , and the villagers called for back-up from other villages. My brother and some other people came to assist at about 11pm. They waited at the Y-junction. The thugs arrived and my brother and the others asked who they were. They responded by opening fire, hitting my brother in the chest and the other man in the head.”
Cartridges from a .30-06 hunting rifle – stolen in a robbery the previous week – were found at the scene of the shooting, but the identities of the gang members are not known to the villagers.
Mr Gosa’s slain brother leaves behind a wife, four adult children, as well as grandchildren, one of whom was “fully dependent” on him.
*BizNews has asked the Eastern Cape Health Department for comment on the delay in ambulance service. This story will be updated as soon as it is received.
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