KUGOMPO - For families in the Eastern Cape, calling an ambulance can mean a desperate wait for help that may never come in time.
The province is facing a critical shortage of operational emergency medical vehicles, leaving communities fearing what could happen when they need urgent care.
In KuGompo City, Lionel Sharpe’s family says they waited hours for emergency medical services after the 54-year-old died at home.
READ: Grieving family waits hours with relative’s body as ambulance crisis deepens in EC
They are among several families who have shared their experiences with eNCA, raising fresh questions about the province’s ability to provide timely emergency medical care.
EMS staff told eNCA their duties include formally declaring a death before a funeral parlour can assess the body, leaving families unable to begin funeral arrangements until the process is completed.
The Eastern Cape Health Department says it is aware of the challenges and is working to address the shortage.
- eNCA’s Ronald Masinda reports.