A villager in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, died waiting for a state ambulance that arrived about eight hours after it was summoned
According to villagers in Dititjerent, Motjheko Msisilane , died on Sunday “crying of pain” after waiting eight hours for an ambulance. Photo: Alfonso Nqunjana/News24
A villager in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, died on Sunday waiting for a state ambulance that arrived about eight hours after it was summoned.The Eastern Cape Health Department says it will investigate the villagers’ complaints. In Matatiele Municipality in the Eastern Cape, people can wait all day for a state ambulance if one comes at all. The 4350km2 area has nearly 300 villagers but only one dedicated ambulance. Many roads to villages are also gravel and it can take over an hour to travel a distance of just 60kms.According to villagers in Dititjerent, 67km outside Matatiele town, Motjheko Msisilane , died on Sunday “crying of pain” after waiting eight hours for an ambulance.
“I kept on calling asking why the ambulance was taking so long. I was told that there was only one ambulance working that day; two ambulances went to Mthatha,” said Potwana.But even residents living close to Matatiele town say they have to resort to private ambulances to get to Tayler Bequest Hospital at a cost of R300, even though it is only three kilometres away.Residents in Area C of Matatiele town told GroundUp they can’t get a state ambulance when they call.
According to the Eastern Cape Health Department spokesperson Yonela Dekeda, the Alfred Nzo District has a population of 480,000 and 63 ambulances.. But Dekeda would not say how many of these ambulances serve Matatiele villagers. The 2011 census put Matatiele’s population at 204,000.This article was originally published on GroundUp. Read the original articleIn times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust.
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