This comes to light after the national Department of Health’s parliamentary reply to a question posed by the EFF on the shortage of ambulances in the country.

The department has revealed that all provinces will be purchasing more ambulances this year, besides the Western Cape. The province of Gauteng and Eastern Cape will be purchasing the highest number of ambulances, followed by KZN and North West with more than 60 ambulances expected to be purchased before the end of 2019. 

The Free State is expected to budget for an addition of 50 ambulances. The Provincial Health MEC, Montseng Tsiu, has during the launch of 60 ambulances at the Caleb Motshabi informal settlement in Bloemfontein late last year confirmed to OFM News that there is a high need for more ambulances and mobile clinics in the province. She said the shortage experienced in the province is one of the reasons why the department still makes use of private service providers.

Tsui said the province needs about 300 or more ambulances as there is supposed to be an ambulance for every 10 000 population.

The provincial health department has in the past years been lambasted by opposition parties alleging that it splashes money on the Buthelezi Private Ambulance, while communities bear the brunt of lack of services.

The department’s contract with the Buthelezi Ambulances came under question when opposition parties in the provincial legislature demanded answers as to why the service provider was allegedly paid over R6.1 million per month while there are reports of inadequate resources and poor service delivery.

OFM News