Kimberley - A 78-year-old woman died while waiting for about two hours for an ambulance to arrive in Donkerhoek.
Her son, Walile November, stated that his mother, Nomanisi Esther November, was ill and did not want to eat.
“I fought with her because she only drank cooldrink. She also had a hip replacement recently and complained that she was cold.”
He added that they waited for about two hours for the ambulance to arrive on Thursday.
“By that time she had already died. I do not know, but maybe she would have been alive if the ambulance had arrived sooner.”
November stated that a home-based caregiver had visited his mother on one occasion but had not returned after that.
“I was taking care of my mother.”
DA councillor Reinette Liebenberg, who visited November shortly before her death, believed that the delay in the arrival of the ambulance was due to the non-payment of emergency care workers.
“They have not been receiving their overtime. Out of the eight ambulances servicing the Kimberley area, only four vehicles are currently in operation and eight out of a total of 16 emergency care workers are working after hours.”
Liebenberg added that priority was apparently being given to pregnant women who are going into labour while other emergencies needed to wait.
“The problem is exacerbated by the non-payment of caregivers who are in turn, not making home visits to patients.”
Emergency medical services workers confirmed that they had not received overtime since January and that payments were erratic.
They, however, denied that they had embarked on any go-slow.
“Sometimes we receive overtime, but most months we do not.”
On Sunday spokeswoman for the Department of Health Lulu Mxekezo stated that there were no disruptions of emergency medical services (EMS) nor a go-slow by EMS personnel.
“The overtime for employees is being processed and that has been communicated to personnel.”
She explained that there were several other emergency calls before EMS workers attended to the incident, including maternity cases and children.
“Such cases are always prioritised. The case was described as a sick patient and, because of the high volume of calls, an ambulance arrived after an hour.
“The Northern Cape Department of Health conveys its deepest condolences to the bereaved family. The cause of death of the patient is unknown.”
Mxekezo added that the number of emergency care officers and emergency vehicles differed on a daily basis, as some are on annual or sick leave and some vehicles are taken in for either services or repairs.
“So the numbers of both personnel and emergency vehicles fluctuate daily.”
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