JOHANNESBURG - A total of 41 ambulances, each bought for R1 million, have been sitting idle for six years.
City of Johannesburg Emergency Medical Services said the ambulances are ready for use but cannot be deployed without official approval.
The ambulances were bought in 2019 and are parked at the Florida Park fire station, but have yet to be used.
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Health spokesperson Steve Mabona said the province is in the process of provincialising the ambulances, meaning it will take over responsibility for them from municipalities.
This is aimed at ensuring compliance with the National Health Act and regulations issued by the National Department of Health.
“Regulations dictate what an ambulance should be, what equipment is required and how many paramedics should be in the ambulance,” Mabona said.
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EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said he cannot comment on what will happen to the ambulances at this stage.
“We can only update residents on whether we get approval or not,” he said.
Gauteng Health said it has submitted a new application to get the ambulances back on the road and expects the matter to be resolved soon.