Suspect in Nurses Rape Horror Nabbed, Chuene Clinic Remains Closed

Limpopo premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba flanked by health MEC Dieketseng Mashego and Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe during a community meeting at Chuene Clinic on Sunday. (Photo: Montsho Matlala)
Limpopo premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba flanked by health MEC Dieketseng Mashego and Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe during a community meeting at Chuene Clinic on Sunday. (Photo: Montsho Matlala)

A suspect has been arrested for the robbery and rape of two nurses at Chuene Clinic outside Polokwane. The 27-year-old parolee is expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate Court on Monday. 

The man was arrested at his home at Feke in the nearby Ga-Maja village on Saturday after being on the run for eight days.

Limpopo premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba accompanied by Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego, provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe shared details of the arrest at a media and community briefing at the Chuene Clinic on Sunday. 

The suspect was released on parole in November 2024 and has already been linked to a series of crimes in the area, including an attempted robbery at the nearby Thaba Clinic on Friday.  

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“During the arrest, police recovered a 9mm pistol which had been reported stolen in a previous house robbery involving a female police officer attached to Lebowakgomo police station (on 2 January this year). Additional items found on him include laptops, smart cellphones, a panga and cash suspected to be linked to other crimes in the area including robberies, rapes and other violent crimes,” Ramathuba said.

Clinic remains closed 

Provincial police commissioner Hadebe says investigations into the details of the attack are underway. 

Meanwhile, Cheune Clinic will stay closed. Ramathuba says while the facility will eventually reopen, around-the-clock care may not resume anytime soon.

Jackson Chuene, a representative of Chuene Royal Council who attended Sunday’s meeting says community members were relieved a suspect had been nabbed.

“We welcome the arrest and genuinely sympathise with our nurses who suffered at the hands of a monster. We are appalled by this heinous crime, but on the other hand, we need primary health care services to resume at our clinic,” says Chuene.

Another resident, Alpheus Chuene, urged authorities to ensure that well-trained security guards are appointed as soon as possible so that the clinic can reopen. 

“Most of us are chronic patients and we rely on tablets. Look now I am left with only three tablets and this means I have to travel to Maja Clinic which does not have my records,” he says. 

Review of security companies

Earlier, health workers’ unions vowed not to return to Chuene Clinic until armed guards were deployed.

Health MEC, Mashego says the department has established a panel to ensure private security companies contracted to guard health facilities comply with service level agreements,  following the brutal incident at Chuene Clinic.

Residents also called on Ramathuba and Mashego to look at the neglected grassy surroundings inside the Chuene clinic yard.

“Doors in most rooms at this clinic do not have working locks and workers use bandages to fasten them. Some windows are broken and toilets are not fixed. Nurses say they report all these to their seniors to no avail,” says Lesetja Chuene.

Mashego promised to ensure the clinic receives the necessary maintenance repairs. – Health-e News

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