KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Ms Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu has sent her deepest condolences to the family of an expert male nurse who was fatally shot in Pietermaritzburg last night.

It is believed that Mr Mdu Ngubane (46), who worked at Edendale Hospital’s labour ward, also ran a night-time lift club, transporting workers from Liberty Mall to their homes in and around Pietermaritzburg. He was allegedly shot by unknown people in Harewood, Caluza, after dropping off his last passenger on the township's Mbanjwa Rd. His white Opel Corsa bakkie was not taken during the incident.

Originally from eMbali township, Ngubane arrived at Edendale Hospital after training at Ceza Hospital in Zululand District as an enrolled nurse in 2004. He then worked his way up, completing a bridging course at Grey’s Hospital in 2006 that helped him graduate to professional nurse in 2009. In 2018, he did a course in advanced accoucheur (the male opposite of midwifery) at King Edward VIII Hospital, which he completed in February this year.

This morning, distraught colleagues at Edendale Hospital described Ngubane as a “an excellent, reliable, dedicated and responsible nurse, who always had a clear attitude, and a good record of work attendance. He really loved people, and always had a smile on his face.”

Reacting to the incident, MEC Simelane-Zulu said, “We are extremely saddened and shocked by this senseless murder. In Mr Ngubane, we have lost a person who was clearly not only committed to developing himself, but also had a passion for helping other people. It is extremely unfortunate that he lost his life under such tragic circumstances. This is a huge loss to the Department, and his community, and we are poorer without him. We send our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues. We are pleading with law enforcement authorities to work tirelessly to bring to book perpetrators of this callous and senseless murder.”