On Monday, 4 December, Provincial Minister of Mobility, Ricardo Mackenzie, officially handed over a range of specialised Emergency Medical Services (EMS) vehicles to Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness, Professor Nomafrench Mbombo.
The ceremonial handover represented the second phase in a collaborative project between the Western Cape’s Government Motor Transport (GMT) entity and Department of Health and Wellness to replace and enhance the EMS fleet. Twenty high-tech vehicles were on display at the handover, out of a tranche of 114 new and replacement vehicles that have recently gone into service at EMS stations across the province ahead of the critical festive season period.
Included in the 114 vehicles are:
- 30 Toyota Quantum ambulances;
- 10 VW Caddy wheelchair vehicles for use in rural areas;
- 19 Toyota Quantum stretcher ‘Tango’ vehicles;
- 6 VW Crafters converted to carry four wheelchairs and six seated passengers;
- 37 response SUVs (bakkies); and
- 12 VW Crafter 23-seater patient transport buses.
This batch of 114 vehicles is the second phase in a broader GMT project that will see a total of 440 new and replacement EMS vehicles delivered before the end of March 2025. The first batch of 182 new EMS vehicles went into service during 2022/23 and the remaining 144 vehicles are currently progressing through various stages, from order placement to production and conversion.
Minister Mbombo said, “The Department values its close working relationship with GMT as the entity plays a crucial role in ensuring that our fleet is properly maintained. Our EMS vehicles are one of the key building blocks of the health system, ensuring that health services are accessible to residents across the Western Cape - especially in times of medical emergencies in the most rural communities. We look forward to our fleet being fully modernised so that they can continue to capacitate our personnel to render lifesaving healthcare."
Minister Mackenzie said, “Some of these vehicles are the first of their kind in Africa, making a tangible difference to the safety and wellbeing of our communities and the EMS practitioners who serve them. As we head into the Festive Season, the demands on our emergency services will increase, not to mention the crippling budget cuts faced by the government. Now more than ever, we need to make sure these teams are equipped and supported to do their critical work.”
“The innovations co-created by our EMS and GMT teams are truly remarkable. Among them are two prototype ambulances equipped with 360-degree camera coverage to keep paramedics and emergency workers safe from ambush in the course of their work. I am especially proud of the customised drone unit that can be deployed in the case of a missing or injured person, such as on Table Mountain. Once found, a helicopter can be sent out to the relevant location,” concluded Minister Mackenzie.
MEDIA QUERIES:
Rebecca Campbell
Spokesperson for Minister Ricardo Mackenzie
Tel:076 783 2583
Email: Rebecca.Campbell@westerncape.gov.za
Luke Albert
Spokesperson for Minister Nomafrench Mbombo
Tel: 076 063 9923