​
In preparation for the festive season the 
Gauteng Department of Health has unveiled 192 Emergency Medical Services 
vehicles to supplement the existing fleet. This fleet is made up of specialized 
ambulances and will be distributed across the five Gauteng districts. These 
vehicles will help to improve EMS efficiency and response time. 
The Gauteng Department of Health EMS on average receive 100 000 calls 
per month, which is mainly trauma cases. 
The new fleet consist of the following categories:
·         
130 combined obstetric & intermediate 
life support ambulances,
·         
20 multi-purpose ambulances with minimum 
of 2 stretcher capability,
·         
20 planned patient transport vehicles, 
·         
16 primary response vehicles 
·         
4 specialised rescue 
vehicles.
MEC Masuku re-affirmed the decision to provincialise EMS in 
Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, the process is at an advanced stage in 
Johannesburg. In Ekurhuleni, the provincialisation processes are 
expected to officially begin in February 2020 and to be completed by June 2020. 
“We must emphasise that the decision to provincialise is rooted in maximizing on 
efficiencies and curbing costs for the Department. I am pleased that the EMS 
unit in the Department has heeded the call to ensuring that we prioritise 
implementation that will have a direct benefit for the people of Gauteng who 
rely on the public health sector for their health needs, said MEC Masuku” 
Furthermore the Department together with West Rand Municipality have 
partnered to refurbish the Mohlakeng EMS Base which was vandalised as a result 
of service delivery protest in May 2018. The base accommodates 41 staff members 
and serves the following areas; Mohlakeng, Randfontein, Finsbury, 
Badirile, Toekomsrus, Greens Park and Azaadville. 
MEC 
Masuku pleaded with members of the community to not vandalize state 
infrastructure, doing so affects access to the services for themselves and the 
rest of the community. He emphasized the importance of taking pride, ownership 
and valuing the infrastructure that has been built for them.
Accident and emergency departments in our hospitals remain the 
busiest around the month end period, with a notably high number of gunshot 
wounds, stabbings and motor vehicle accidents patients coming in. One of the 
contributing factors is the high level of alcohol consumption which leads to 
violence and reckless driving. The festive season period also accounts for a 
high number of trauma cases, we urge members of the public to be responsible 
during this period, some of these cases are avoidable.
The number of emergency cases admitted in the academic and tertiary 
hospitals in the past year were as follows:            
Facility                                         No. of 
emergency              No. of emergency
                                                      
cases admitted               cases need 
operation                                                         
Chris Hani Baragwanath                                73 
733                         9828
Academic Hospital       
                                                                      
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg 
Academic Hospital                                       16 846                             9617

 
Dr George 
Mukhari                                       
Academic Hospital                                         11842                             8048

 
Steve Biko Academic Hospital           
             36920              
              7657

 
Helen Joseph 
Hospital                                     18616              
             2924

 
Kalafong 
Hospital                                              7144                
           4003 

 
Tembisa 
Hospital                                             28 
218                       13 892