Ambulance association says RAF not paid them

BREWING issues have persuaded private ambulance companies in KwaZulu- Natal to form an association to highlight and address their plight.

The KZN Private Ambulance Association ( KPAA) was formed last month to represent private ambulance services.

KPAA has about 30 private services on board, some from umkhanyakude and umgungundlovu districts.

Acting spokesperson Garrith Jamieson, an ambulance owner, said KPAA was formed to represent one body.

“One of the main topics is the issue we’re having with the Road Accident Fund ( RAF), which is not paying for services rendered by emergency services assisting at motor vehicle collisions every day,” said Jamieson.

RAF had not paid emergency services since February or March this year. That has made it very difficult to sustain operations, Jamieson said.

Moreover, with the number of crashes daily, without private ambulance services, the government emergency services sector would be unable to cope.

“All we’re doing is not violent, we’re not threatening anyone, we’re not saying we’re not going to assist. We’re just trying to highlight the challenges we’re facing and, hopefully, with public attention, people will notice us,” said Jamieson.

Acting chairperson Andile Nduli said some had stopped using vehicles and stopped some employees from going to work because they had not received payments from the RAF. Their businesses were failing.

“We wrote a letter to the RAF and they responded quickly that they would look at it,” said Nduli.

“If we don’t get a response about when we will get paid, we will protest peacefully.”