Failing ANC’s broken ambulance fleet is killing people
16 January 2019
Ailing health services in the Northern Cape have just deteriorated even more, as Namaqualand finds itself with a broken down ambulance service.
The motor vehicle license of the single ambulance in the Richtersveld, has expired. In effect, the emergency vehicle is rendered unroadworthy and may not be utilised until the paperwork has been updated.
Due to the non-functioning state of this very ambulance, a four-year-old boy from Alexanderbaai could not be transported to the nearest hospital for medical attention after he broke his arm last week. A patient suffering from gangrene, could also not be transported by the state, from Garies to Springbok, and had to rely on a DA MPL to get him there.
The license of the emergency response vehicle in Khai Ma municipality as well as that of an ambulance in Kommagas, have apparently also expired. Meanwhile, the ambulance that services 17 towns in and around Kamiesberg, was in an accident two weeks ago. The ambulance was replaced by an old vehicle that is missing a door because of the poor condition of the roads. On top of this, the emergency vehicle in Vioolsdrift was written off in 2015 and has not been replaced since.