Allegations have emerged against ALS Paramedics regarding its treatment of accident victims without medical aid.
Image: Sputnik/Pavel Lisitsyn
Apart from claims that patients with medical aid were given priority at accident scenes by ALS Paramedics, further allegations have emerged regarding how the ambulance service handled cases where non-medical aid patients required treatment.
A well-placed source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Daily News, revealed that motorists and other accident victims were charged for medical assistance provided by ALS.
The source claimed that when a injured victim was transported to hospital and couldn't afford the cost of service, the ambulance crew would be held personally liable for the charges.
"If a patient is transported from the accident scene to the hospital, and the patient is unable to pay, then the crew must pay for ALS' ambulance fee," the source said. "If the injured are unable to pay the fees or don’t have medical aid, then the crew becomes responsible for it. The charges will be docked from their salaries."
ALS legal representative, attorney Wesley Rogers, declined to comment extensively on the claims made by the source. He said that without further information regarding the source or their credibility, ALS could not provide an adequate response to the allegations.
"You will appreciate that in the absence of any information regarding who made the allegation in question, our client will obviously not be able to provide full and proper feedback on that issue," Rogers said.
The allegations follow a recent confrontation between ALS and Transport MEC Siboniso Duma, who accused the ambulance service of “bulldozing” its way through accident scenes and prioritising patients with medical cover over those without.
Duma made the comments after a serious collision in the Isipingo area and also challenged the statistical information ALS publicised regarding casualties from the crash.
ALS viewed Duma's statements as defamatory and responded by instituting legal action against him, seeking to interdict him from making further statements or suggestions that ALS services were reserved only for individuals with medical aid.
Their urgent court application was lodged with the Pietermaritzburg High Court. Last week, the court ruled against urgency in the matter but placed Duma on terms to supplement his papers and provide reasons by May 4 why he should not be interdicted.
In their court documents, ALS Director Garrith Jamieson stated that the company complies with constitutional mandates, providing care to all in need, irrespective of financial status.
Jamieson’s affidavit cited a notable incident on January 29, when a truck and a taxi collided in Isipingo, resulting in multiple fatalities and critically injured passengers.
Emergency WhatsApp groups called for general assistance, prompting ALS to respond alongside three other private ambulance services, the fire department, metro police, and road traffic authorities.
Jamieson said that ALS paramedics treated two victims, both without medical aid, and transported them to a state hospital (Inkosi Albert Luthuli). Other patients were attended to by other private ambulance operators.
In his replying documents, Duma countered that ALS had failed to prove that his statements were defamatory. He argued that ALS was seeking an unjustified gag order based on a subjective interpretation of events.
Duma said the truth of his statements was in the public interest, reflecting ongoing behaviour by ALS paramedics. He also questioned the accuracy of ALS's reporting of accident incidents, particularly the number of casualties in the January 29 crash.
Jamieson admitted in his affidavit that he initially provided incorrect figures regarding the Isipingo accident victims, which Duma’s team verified and found to be inaccurate.
Duma also claimed there were previous incidents where ALS paramedics reported casualty numbers incorrectly. He cited a January 19, 2026, accident in Pinetown, where ALS claimed nine learners were injured in a taxi crash, while reports indicated only three learners required treatment.
He further referenced a July 2025 incident in which ALS reported an overloaded taxi was involved in an accident, while official records indicated far fewer passengers were present.
DAILY NEWS