Provincial Government will not allow disruption of health service delivery

17 Nov 2010

Following reports that a provincial ambulance was stoned in the course of last week's protest action in Khayelitsha, Theuns Botha, Western Cape Minister of Health said the damage of government property is to the detriment of communities that need it the most.

"Ambulances provide an emergency service, and have nothing to do with service delivery. I strongly question the motivations and intentions of people who attack ambulances and paramedics. They save lives, and if their lives or provincial vehicles are at risk, they are unable to render these services to the public."

"I want to call on the community not to allow minorities to disrupt the services to which all have equal access. Please do not disrupt good service delivery with so-called service delivery protests."

According to the manager of the Western Cape Ambulance Station in Khayelitsha the incident occurred last Wednesday evening whilst the ambulance was travelling out of Khayelitsha, in the direction of Karl Bremer Hospital, after responding to an emergency call within the community.

There was one patient on board. As the ambulance reached the four-way stop on Mew Way, a crowd of people came out of the shacks nearby and began stoning the ambulance with bricks. The passenger window and windscreen was shattered. The driver rushed back to the base, and another ambulance was dispatched to transport the patient to Karl Bremer Hospital. Neither the driver nor the paramedic was hurt or injured, but are suffering from shock.

The damage to the ambulance is estimated at R12 000.

Statement issued by Helene Rossouw, Media Liaison, Western Cape Ministry of Health, November 17 2010

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