Johannesburg – The Gauteng Provincial Government says the move to take over ambulance services from local municipalities inadvertently led to 41 ambulances belonging to the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (COJEMS) lying idle for six years.
“These vehicles were purchased in 2019 by the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services,” the provincial government said on Saturday, 29 August 2026.
“The provincial government was not involved in the procurement, funding, or acquisition of these ambulances.”
However, in 2009, the Gauteng Department of Health began the provincialisation process of taking over ambulance services from local municipalities.
“This shift was necessary to comply with the Constitution (Act 108 of 1996), which delegates healthcare as a joint responsibility between national and provincial governments,” explained the provincial government.
The response comes nearly two weeks after Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) Alan Fuchs made a shocking claim that 41 City of Johannesburg ambulances have been standing idle for six years.
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All this time, the ambulances, valued at more than R16 million, have been parked at the City’s Emergency Medical Service (EMS) bases.
The provincial government also revealed that it received an application last month, July 2026, from the City of Johannesburg for an EMS operating licence covering six stations.
“The application is currently under review and is being processed, pending a final decision by the Gauteng Health Head of Department,” stated the provincial government.
In the meantime, the provincial government said it will engage with the City of Johannesburg EMS to discuss the fate of its 41 ambulances, including the possibility of their absorption as part of the broader provincialisation process.
“The goal is to create a unified and well-coordinated health system under provincial control, which will lead to consistent service quality and better emergency care across Gauteng,” said the provincial government.
