Gauteng residents continue to suffer, and in some cases, lives are lost, due to a shortage of ambulances. Yet, there is a fleet of brand new ambulances parked at the Dunnottar Clinic in Nigel, Ekurhuleni.
It is unacceptable that lives are put in danger because of a slow emergency line response while a fleet of G-set ambulances is abandoned at the Dunnottar Clinic.
These ambulances have been abandoned at Dunnottar Clinic for five months without being dispatched to their respective clinics.
This was discovered during the DA’s oversight inspection of the clinic.
Please see the photos here, here, and here.
The DA has received numerous complaints from whistle-blowers that ambulances take up to 3 to 8 hours to respond to an emergency.
We also conducted an oversight inspection at the Angelo Kater depot where there are at least 50 abandoned ambulances. We were informed that these ambulances are waiting to be refurbished and get minor repairs.
The DA demands answers from the Gauteng MEC for Health, Nomathemba Mokgethi, on why a fleet of brand new ambulances has been abandoned at the clinic while there is a shortage of ambulances in the province. We also want to know when the ambulances at Angelo Kater depot will be fixed.
This current government is gambling with the lives of our people, and we will not allow it to happen. We demand that MEC Mokgethi ensures that these ambulances are dispatched to their respective clinics to serve our residents. The DA is the only party that is prepared to save lives and ensure that emergency services are adequately resourced.