Johannesburg. Forty-one ambulances that were purchased in 2019 and are valued at around R1 million each have been parked at the Florida Park fire station for six years and remain unused, Gauteng Emergency Medical Services (EMS) officials say.
Why they are idle
Gauteng Health told residents the vehicles cannot be put on the road until a formal approval process is completed. The province is in the process of provincialising the ambulances — transferring responsibility for them from municipalities to the provincial department of health — to ensure compliance with the National Health Act and regulations from the National Department of Health.
Health spokesperson Steve Mabona said the regulations define what an ambulance must contain and how many trained paramedics must staff each vehicle. According to Mabona, these conditions must be met before the ambulances can be commissioned for service.
"Regulations dictate what an ambulance should be, what equipment is required and how many paramedics should be in the ambulance," Mabona said.
EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi declined to outline the next steps. "We can only update residents on whether we get approval or not," he said.
Where the ambulances are and what that means for residents
The 41 vehicles have been stored at the Florida Park fire station since their purchase in 2019. For communities that depend on prompt emergency responses, the idling of fully procured ambulances raises worries about service capacity, particularly during peak times and when other vehicles are out of service for repairs or maintenance.
Gauteng Health said it has submitted a new application to expedite the process and expects the matter to be resolved soon. The department did not give a firm timeline for when approval would be granted or the ambulances deployed.
- Number of ambulances: 41
- Purchase year: 2019
- Location: Florida Park fire station
- Cost per vehicle: R1 million (reported)
- Status: Awaiting provincial approval for deployment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ambulances purchased | 41 |
| Year of purchase | 2019 |
| Stored at | Florida Park fire station |
| Reported cost each | R1 million |
| Current status | Pending provincial approval for commissioning |
Local impact and practical considerations
Residents told health officials repeatedly that ambulance availability affects outcomes in heart attacks, severe trauma and other emergencies. While the province has not linked these particular idle vehicles to specific service shortfalls, the existence of unused ambulances during a period when ambulance delays have made national headlines will fuel public concern.
Key practical hurdles highlighted by Gauteng Health are compliance with equipment lists and staffing requirements under the National Health Act. Provincialisation aims to centralise oversight so that each vehicle meets national standards before it attends patients. That process requires administrative approval and confirmation that sufficient paramedic staff are available to crew the vehicles in line with regulations.
Gauteng Health said it expects the submission currently before the relevant authorities to be resolved soon but provided no definite timetable. EMS officials said they will inform the public once approval is granted.
What residents should know now
Until the ambulances are formally cleared for service, residents should:
- Continue to rely on existing emergency numbers and nearby public or private ambulance services where available.
- Report any excessive delays to the provincial health department or local ward councillors so they can be logged for follow-up.
- Stay informed about official announcements from Gauteng Health for updates on the provincialisation process and deployment plans.
The question of unused public assets intersects with accountability and emergency-readiness. Gauteng Health's application to get the ambulances back on the road is the next step; residents will be watching for a firm timeline and clear assurances that the vehicles will be equipped and crewed to national standards.
Reporting from Johannesburg.
