Rural communities hardest hit by ambulance breakdowns and long response times are set to benefit as the province rolls out a new fleet.
KUGOMPO CITY- The Eastern Cape Department of Health has deployed 26 new ambulances as part of a wider fleet replacement programme aimed at easing pressure on an emergency medical services system hit by vehicle breakdowns, ageing ambulances and long response times in rural communities.
Eastern Cape health MEC Ntandokazi Capa officially handed over the ambulances at the Health Resource Centre at Frere Hospital in KuGompo City on Friday, 04 September.
The 26 vehicles form part of a phased rollout being implemented by the provincial health department in partnership with Government Fleet Management Services and the Department of Transport.
The new ambulances will be distributed across the province’s districts, including Sarah Baartman, Alfred Nzo, Chris Hani, Buffalo City Metro, Amathole, OR Tambo and Joe Gqabi.
Capa said the allocation was guided by operational data, with priority being given to districts that had experienced the highest number of ambulance breakdowns and the longest delays in responding to emergencies.
“Chris Hani, Sarah Baartman, Alfred Nzo, Joe Gqabi, Amathole and OR Tambo are the most affected because they have recorded quite a number of breakdowns,” she said.
“We are hoping that now our communities will receive a service that we have been looking forward to.”
The handover comes after growing public concern over ambulance shortages in parts of the province, particularly Sarah Baartman, where communities have reported difficulties accessing emergency transport.
Capa acknowledged that the additional vehicles would not resolve all of the department’s EMS problems overnight.
“We are here today to receive 26 ambulances, and all of us know that it has been tough in the province over the past few weeks where we have been on the news about the shortage of ambulances across the Eastern Cape, especially in the area of Sarah Baartman,” she said.
“A few weeks back we received about 21 and now today we are receiving 26. It does not mean that it is going to fix our problems, but we do believe that it is going to alleviate pressure.”
The department has already begun strengthening the fleet in Sarah Baartman, with 14 new ambulances, seven patient transport vehicles and nine response vehicles previously allocated to the district.
Capa said the province was also working to return grounded ambulances to service rather than relying solely on newly procured vehicles.“We are constantly engaging with the Department of Transport in order to address those that are grounded so that we do not only depend on the ones that are new but also those that are out for repairs,” she said.
MEC said further deliveries are expected in October 2026, February 2027 and March 2027.According to the department, the successive deliveries are expected to bring the total number of new ambulances supplied through the programme to 195 by the end of the financial year.
The fleet renewal is expected to provide additional capacity in districts where breakdowns have placed pressure on emergency response services, particularly in deep-rural areas where patients often have limited alternatives when an ambulance is unavailable.
For communities that have faced prolonged delays in accessing emergency medical transport, the immediate challenge will now be ensuring that the new vehicles are deployed where they are most needed and remain operational.The department says its combined focus on replacing ageing vehicles and repairing grounded ambulances is intended to improve response capacity and bring emergency medical services closer to rural communities.
Courtesy of IMAGES: Siphosethu Rexe
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