The paramedics protested against a two-month salary backlog. One of the employees, Taunyana Seekoei, told OFM News Buthelezi EMS management called an urgent meeting over this past weekend where they apologised for the non-payment of salaries and committed to pay all employees their full salaries. Seekoei confirms that they have now indeed received their money. This private service provider, procured to run hospital and clinic transfers in the Free State and the North West, is, however, still under scrutiny following the collapse of health services and the Mediosa scandal in the North West, which prompted Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to launch investigations regarding the use of private ambulances and how these services are procured in the different provinces.

This service provider drew controversy after it came to light that large sums of provinces’ health budgets are being pumped into private ambulance services while other health necessities are not attended to.  

In the Free State, it is alleged that the service provider gets paid over R6.1 million per month to transport patients between 27 public hospitals while communities continue to bear the brunt of poor service delivery. Opposition parties have criticised the provincial health department for spending millions of taxpayers’ money on the Buthelezi EMS whilst the service provider is accused of operating like a minibus taxi. It is alleged that the company only provides limited medical support and expertise during transportation.

When asked about some of these allegations, the Free State Health MEC, Montsheng Tsiu, a month ago told OFM News the department battles to meet all health demands in the province with just its own fleet and hence they are still outsourcing the Buthelezi Ambulance Services. She, however, said the outsourcing of private ambulances will slowly be phased out and that they now only have a month-to-month contract with Buthelezi Private Ambulance Services.

OFM News