Mpumalanga authorities are investigating claims that some Health Department staff deliberately damaged ambulances in acts of sabotage, rendering them unusable.
The province is already desperately short of emergency vehicles, with the DA last year raising the alarm that only 48 out of a fleet of 158 were operational for more than 4.4m people.
This meant there is only one ambulance for every 91 666 people – far below the national standard of one ambulance per 10 000 people.
The sabotage revelations might explain the shortage of vehicles.
Sunday World reports that VW service centre mechanics raised the alarm after finding signs of tampering on ambulances booked in for routine repairs.
They had noticed consistent, inexplicable faults – ranging from punctured radiator pipes to contaminated fuel systems, which could not be attributed to regular wear and tear.
An insider told Sunday World the mechanics “also discovered brake fluid reservoirs contaminated with oil, potentially rendering the brakes useless – which could have deadly consequences”.
“There were also critical fuses removed from electrical systems, leaving the ambulances undriveable, and resulting in them having to be towed to service centres,” the insider said.
In one instance a radiator pipe was found punctured with precision, risking total engine failure, with some of the vehicles running without any water in their radiators, which could lead to catastrophic overheating.
“Seatbelts were also tampered with, causing further delays and costly repairs, and endangering safety,” added the source, who expressed shock at the brazen efforts to hamper the already financially struggling emergency services.
“Can you imagine workers cruel enough to remove vehicle licence discs to ensure ambulances are deemed unroadworthy? They do this just so they can sleep when people need help. It’s a sad day in public service.
“Instead of rushing to save lives, the emergency fleet remains parked while patients suffer without assistance.”
Mpumalanga Health spokesperson Dumisani Malamule confirmed they are investigating allegations of sabotage.
The Public Service Commission said it would investigate once the matter comes to its attention.
For 2024, the Health Department was allocated a budget of R18.6bn – with a focus on improving healthcare services, and which includes tackling critical shortages in emergency services, after numerous challenges with its ambulance fleet.
There are also plans to introduce 10 new mobile ICU ambulances, specifically designed for inter-facility patient transfers, and three dedicated ambulances for mental health patients.
Sunday World article – Ambulance workers probed for sabotage (Open access)
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