On Wednesday 22 February, a collision on the R43 between Villiersdorp and Worcester involving an EMS vehicle transporting patients, led to multiple injuries.
Byron la Hoe, spokesperson for EMS in the Western Cape, told Standard that the accident occurred around 08:00 near the Moddergat East turnoff, about 20 km from Worcester on the Villiersdorp road.
“EMS Tango is a 23-seater minibus and is the vehicle that was involved in the accident. It is alleged that the driver lost control of the minibus. Altogether 17 patients were treated and taken to the Worcester Hospital,” he said.
Standard raised specific questions pertaining to the cause of the incident, where the ambulance vehicle was travelling to, and what the protocol is regarding EMS vehicles carrying patients that are involved in an accident.
La Hoe told Standard that such questions are not in the public’s interest. “These questions are not in the public’s interest. Due to the safety concerns that our EMS staff are experiencing currently as result of the incidents of crimes in the communities, we are unable to divulge this information.”
It is not clear at this stage how crime in various communities has an effect on the details of the accident that had occurred.
In September last year, an EMS ambulance was also involved in a head-on collision on the R43 between Ceres and Worcester.
Both paramedics died on the scene.
