Lives at Risk: DA Flags Majority of KZN State Ambulances Operating Without Legal Certification

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has raised concerns regarding the majority of the state’s ambulances operating throughout KwaZulu-Natal without the required certification from traffic authorities.

The party questioned why the rule of law did not apply to the state, yet the rule book gets thrown at ordinary citizens when their vehicles fail to meet legislative requirements.

Imran Keeka, a DA member of the Health Portfolio Committee, said the leniency granted to vehicles that fall under the care of the KZN Department of Health was unacceptable.

“If ordinary citizens can’t pay for renewals, not an iota of mercy is shown,” he said, highlighting the disparity.

The issue of uncertified state ambulances came to the fore when the DA conducted oversight visits during the festive season, where community safety and the operational readiness of vehicles were assessed.

The party revisited the matter at the legislature earlier this month. During intense discussions surrounding health department reports, both the MEC for Health, Nomagugu Simelane, and the head of department acknowledged the ambulance licensing issue, citing financial constraints and administrative challenges that resulted in non-compliance.

Keeka said the implications of unlicensed vehicles operating on public roads were “stark and alarming”.

He said every unlicensed ambulance represented a potential danger not only to the patients they transport but also to paramedics and the general public.

Keeka said the regulatory framework governing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was clear:

“The National Health Act and the corresponding EMS Regulations dictate that all EMS vehicles should be properly registered, licensed, roadworthy and accredited. Operating ambulances outside this legal framework constitutes a breach of health sector regulations and road traffic law, which, in turn, compromises public safety.”

He insisted it was essential to establish the full extent of non-compliance within the EMS realm and called for immediate engagement between the Departments of Health and Transport to resolve the issue.

Keeka said that even though financial and administrative constraints were often cited as reasons for delays in compliance, they should never serve as excuses for placing lives at risk.

“Financial constraints do not suspend the law. They certainly do not justify putting patients, paramedics and other road users at risk,” he said.

“Under current legislation, the Road Traffic Inspectorate holds the authority to ground and impound unlicensed vehicles, impose penalties, and even provisionally suspend EMS accreditations for those non-compliant.

“These actions are not only discretionary but necessary to uphold public safety.

“The principle that the law cannot be selectively enforced is a cornerstone of a just society, a fact that should resonate deeply within the paradigm of governmental duties and responsibilities.”

Keeka said ensuring all ambulances were legal and safe protects not only the integrity of ambulance services but also the lives they are tasked to safeguard.

The health department has been no stranger to controversy, as it was revealed last November during a Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) sitting that more than half of the province’s ambulances remained out of service, leaving communities waiting hours for emergency help and costing lives.

According to a report submitted to the KZN Legislature’s Scopa, 1,300 vehicles, including 60% of ambulances and 52% of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) units, were grounded as of September 2025.

The widespread shortage of vehicles has crippled emergency response times across the province, with rural areas being the hardest hit.

Both the Departments of Health and Transport did not respond to questions sent to them by the Daily News at the time of publication.

DAILY NEWS