33% Ambulance shortage in Ekurhuleni

27 September 2017

According to a Parliamentary reply, Ekurhuleni has a total combined ambulance fleet of 212. This is 106 ambulances short of what it should have available for operations within its metropolitan boundaries.

There should be one ambulance for every 10 000 residents and given there are 3 178 470 residents (as per StatsSA June 2016), the Metro should have 318 ambulances resulting in a shortfall of 106 (33%) ambulances.

This situation exemplifies ANC government in the Metro and Province that only cares about itself and not the people. It is no wonder that response times of ambulances are unacceptably long, putting the people at risk.

Of the 212 ambulances operating within the metro, 45 are owned and managed by the Gauteng Department of Health Provincial EMS and perform specific functions within the Metro.

The day-to-day operations of the remaining 167 ambulances are managed by the Metro of which the Metro owns 84 and the Provincial Health Department 83.

We cannot gamble with lives. When a person needs an ambulance it is usually a matter of life and death. The ANC-IRASA coalition at Metro level needs to prioritise the purchasing of additional ambulances, instead of wasting millions on overseas trips and self-glorifying events.

The ANC cares more about patronage and corruption than about the people. They have built a corrupt system to feed themselves. We need a total change to the system. We need a new beginning.

Issued by Michael Waters, DA Deputy Chief Whip in the National Assembly and Lethabong Constituency Head, 27 September 2017