A total of 14 ambulances were handed over at the Bongani Regional Hospital. Seven of these have been allocated to Lejweleputswa, three to Fezile Dabi, and four to Thabo Mofutsanyana.

In attendance at the handover event on 17 June were the premier of the Free State, Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae; MEC for Health, Monyatso Mahlatsi; and MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport, Jabu Mbalula.

The premier commended the departments for working together to build a responsive emergency medical service (EMS) capacity across the Free State, covering emergency response, planned patient transport, dedicated maternity services, general medical care, emergency and rescue services, and inter-facility transfers.

“Health is the most sensitive portfolio because it deals with human lives day and night, and we cannot afford for it to fail.”

This event forms part of the provincial government’s plan to strengthen EMS capacity across all districts of the province, including in the Mangaung Metro Municipality.

The provincial rollout, which began on 7 May, targets the delivery of a total of 103 ambulances during the 2026-’27 financial year.

Mahlatsi urged residents and road users passing through the Free State to help curb road carnage and violent conduct that places an enormous burden on EMS resources.

He highlighted how gender-based violence and femicide, as well as interpersonal violence, not only harm families, but strain the EMS system and contribute to unexpected delays when emergency care is most needed.

“As a society, we must commit to preventing injury and disease, take care of our lives and communities, and promote healthy lifestyles so we rely less on ambulances and hospitalisation.

“That allows the health system to invest more in prevention and reduce the burden of disease.”

Mbalula welcomed the partnership, saying working together across departments is how the premier’s service delivery directives were turned into tangible results.

The premier urged health workers to be innovative – for example, where clinically appropriate and within patient safety protocols, available stretchers can be repurposed as temporary beds during clinical handover to free ambulances back to service more quickly, rather than waiting for a bed to open in casualty.

The premier also tasked EMS management to ensure the fitness, readiness and wellness of ambulance drivers so that the employees do not end up resorting to alcohol and substances as coping mechanisms against stress.

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