Yet another medical student has been attacked at Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital despite health officials' assurances that security has been beefed up.
The latest incident occurred on Friday, just after a fifth-year Wits University medical student had completed his shift at the hospital.
According to the student, he was approaching his car parked outside the Wits learning centre at the hospital around midday when he noticed a man sitting inside his car.
"He was already wearing my jacket, which I had left on the back seat, and was trying to steal my car. I shouted for help and the man jumped out of the car and started running away."
Along with a good Samaritan who heard his call for help, the medical student chased after the thief.
After a brief sprint, they were able to snare him on the hospital grounds and tackled him. During the scuffle, the thief pulled out a sharp object and lunged towards the student, stabbing him in the chest.
"It wasn't a serious wound but we were able to get him and took him back towards the hospital and called the police.
After coming back from the police station, I went for an x-ray and discovered that my finger had been broken," the student said.
On Saturday, he underwent surgery to realign his finger.
It is not the first time that security at Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital has come under scrutiny. In August 2007, a Wits University medical student was attacked and raped while walking from one of the wards to the blood bank.
The Gauteng department of health promised to beef up security, and erected additional lighting in darkly lit areas.
Three months after the rape of the medical student, a gunman walked into the hospital and fatally shot a 35-year-old man who had been brought into the hospital with a gunshot wound.
The shooting took place in front of police officers who were guarding the injured man. A hospital employee was injured by a bullet that ricocheted.
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