Johannesburg’s 41 ambulances remain unused six years after R41m purchase
Forty-one ambulances bought by the City of Johannesburg for about R41 million remain out of service as Gauteng considers the city’s application to operate them independently.
Six years after spending R41 million, Johannesburg’s 41 ambulances remain unused as the city waits for Gauteng to decide their future. Acquired in 2019 at R1 million each, the ambulances were meant to provide emergency medical services, but their deployment was delayed when Gauteng took over municipal services. Gauteng Health spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga confirmed that the city's latest application for an operating licence, covering six stations, is under consideration.
Mhlanga indicated that the outcome would also involve discussions with the city regarding the ambulances' future, potentially including their absorption into the provincial emergency medical services system. The province had no role in the purchase, funding, or acquisition of the vehicles. Robert Mulaudzi, CoJEMS spokesperson, clarified that while the ambulances belong to the city, they cannot operate independently without an operating licence.
The city sought permission from its council to fund and operate the ambulances, which was approved. Despite being idle, Mulaudzi remains confident that the 41 ambulances could improve emergency response times in Johannesburg. The city's initial application for a licence was rejected, but a revised application submitted in July 2026 is currently under review. Mulaudzi's team is awaiting the provincial decision on both licensing and the ambulances' fate.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
