Patients wait hours for ambulances
Employee caught using EMS vehicle to shop
Numerous complaints have been received of ambulances arriving late, sometimes up to five hours later, in response to emergency calls in the Chris Hani district.
The Rep has received numerous complaints from residents of the shocking response from Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
The Rep has also received photos of an EMS employee loading groceries into an ambulance.
The photos show an EMS employee loading groceries into an ambulance at Nonesi Mall on Wednesday November 1, at about 6pm, and again on Friday November 24, at about 6pm.
A source at EMS said the employee had been doing this for the past five months, but when it was reported to their superiors, nothing was done about it.
“The employee lives in Cathcart and drives all the way from Cathcart to Komani every day using the ambulance,” the source said.
“No-one else is driving the ambulance, even if there is an emergency.”
The source said when 34 Edlelweni Primary School children were rushed to Frontier Hospital from Lizo Ngcana Clinic after showing signs of itching, dizziness and high temperatures, the ambulance was parked at the EMS offices.
EMS had to use two ambulances to transport the children, he said.
“When this employee parks the ambulance at the offices, the ambulance stays with him, even if he is not on standby, and he travels with it to do his own things.”
When asked what time the employee finished work as the photos were taken after 6pm, the source said his shift ended at 3.30pm on Fridays.
“This has been happening for five months and other employees have been complaining about this but nothing is being done by our superiors.
“What is painful is that our people are forced to wait for hours to get an ambulance while someone is busy doing his own things.
“Our duty is to serve the community but that is not being done.
“Instead we are abusing state resources and putting the lives of our people at risk,” the source said.
The source said even the case of an EMS employee having (allegedly) assaulted other staff members had not been taken serious by their superiors.
“We report these cases but nothing is being done to the perpetrators,” he said.
Health department spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase did not initially respond to questions sent by The Rep.
After sending him the photos of the worker, he promised to follow up on the matter.
Regarding the case of an employee having allegedly assaulted other staff members, Ndamase said an internal disciplinary process was being conducted.
He said the employee had not been suspended.