Two Gqeberha newborns stolen from Dora Nginza Hospital
A security guard tried to stop the suspects when they entered the maternity ward carrying a bag. Staff assumed they were breastfeeding mothers.
One of the women slipped past the guard and entered the nursery with the same bag.
According to the Eastern Cape Health Department, CCTV footage shows her later exiting through a different door. Hospital management reviewed the footage and called the police, who have opened a criminal case.
Eastern Cape Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa condemned the breach and ordered an internal investigation. She called on the Gqeberha community to help locate the babies.
'We are providing essential services to our communities, and hospitals should not be targets of criminal elements,' she said.
The department says attacks on hospitals in Gqeberha are rising. It spends millions annually on private security. In response to ongoing threats, officials have boosted security with new technologies across facilities.
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