CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A growing public ambulance shortage in South Africa has become a focal point of concern in Parliament, with opposition parties warning that vulnerable citizens are being left behind. The debate follows a recent written reply from Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, which disclosed that the public health sector currently relies on just over 3,700 operational ambulances nationally.
While millions of South Africans depend on the public health sector, several members of parliament argue that the current fleet size is woefully inadequate and disproportionately affects poor and vulnerable citizens who cannot afford private healthcare.
Dr. Tebogo Letlape, an ActionSA MP, highlighted the stark disparity in emergency medical access. He noted that wealthy individuals with medical aid or the means to pay out-of-pocket—such as a 3,000 rand fee—can easily command an ambulance depending on where they live.
“But for the majority of South Africans, ambulances are inadequate,” Dr. Letlape stated. He called for a comprehensive situational analysis to identify gaps in the system and urged proper funding to ensure public hospitals and health centers have sufficient ambulances on site.
The Health Minister’s parliamentary reply also provided a provincial breakdown of the fleet, indicating that Gauteng has more than 1,000 ambulances, Limpopo has over 700, and KwaZulu-Natal has more than 400. However, MPs argue these provincial averages mask severe localized deficits, particularly in rural areas.
Nompumelelo Mhlongo, an IFP MP, highlighted the crisis at the municipal level, pointing to the Abaqulusi sub-district and its catchment area. She revealed that out of nine allocated ambulances for a population of 250,000, only four are currently operational, while the remaining five are undergoing repairs and maintenance.
Based on the standard norm ratio of one ambulance per 10,000 people, Mhlongo stressed that the sub-district requires a baseline of 25 vehicles. With only four functional, she concluded there is a dire need for 21 additional ambulances to serve the local population safely.
Echoing these concerns, the Democratic Alliance emphasized that the national fleet fails to meet global benchmarks. Dr. Karl le Roux, a DA MP, explained that international standards dictate one ambulance for every 10,000 people. Based on the country’s population, this means the state should possess between 6,200 and 6,400 ambulances.
“Currently, out of the 3,700 ambulances that EMS owns, only 3,000 are on the roads,” Dr. le Roux noted.
Dr. le Roux urged the Department of Health to develop immediate contingency plans to resolve the crisis, emphasizing that rural areas must be allocated a higher number of vehicles to ensure equitable access to emergency care for all citizens.
