In the Durban township of Umlazi, the fight against HIV includes a battle against crime. People receiving antiretroviral (ARVs) treatment are being robbed of their medication. This happened to 24-year-old Ntokozo Ntuli in June this year.
“I was walking home from the clinic when two young men approached me and took my medication. I didn’t file a police report, but I did inform the community policing forum (CPF),” Ntuli says.
She adds that many patients now live in fear of being attacked after picking up their treatment, and the community is calling for enhanced security and protection around clinic areas in Umlazi.
“It’s painful that as a community we can’t even feel safe in our own neighbourhoods.”
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What happened to Ntuli was not an isolated case.
Growing concerns
The chairperson of the CPF, Mandlenkosi Ngcobo, has confirmed growing community concerns over the robbery of ARVs in Umlazi.
Ngcobo says that while incidents involving the robbery of ambulances have decreased, the theft of medication from patients remains a serious and ongoing problem across the township.
“People are being targeted for their medication, and it’s heartbreaking to see these numbers continue to rise,” he says.
In recent months, several alarming incidents were reported, including the hijacking of vehicles transporting ARVs. One healthcare worker was held at gunpoint inside the clinic premises.
“In February 2025, I was hijacked inside the clinic premises,” says nurse Noluthando Ntombela, operations manager at K Clinic. “Incidents like this make patients fearful of coming to collect their medication.”
Ngcobo says that the CPF has been trying to deploy more members to crime hot spots.
“But we are short of people who can volunteer, so it makes it difficult to respond effectively. Regardless, we are trying our best to protect residents.” – Health-e News
