Update

GEORGE NEWS - A seven-year-old Thembalethu boy's life was cut short in a tragic accident, which has left his family grieving and raised serious questions about emergency response times in the area.

Amid the heartbreak of losing their son, his father, Mzwandile Soni, says they waited an hour for a provincial Metro EMS ambulance to arrive while helplessly watching him die.

According to Soni, his son, Ayavuya Mbewana, was struck by an African Express bus around 17:00 on Wednesday 22 April. He had reportedly been playing ball with some friends near the roadside when it rolled into the street and he ran after it.

African Express said three empty buses were returning from Thembalethu after having dropped off some farm workers. The driver of the last bus saw the children running towards the road and swerved to avoid them. He heard a bump and stopped near Jonga High School.

The child was found lying in the gravel road.

In addition to having some questions about the incident and the speed at which the bus was being driven, Soni questioned the ambulance's response time. He feels this could've made a difference for his son. "I also blame the Department of Health, because my child was supposed to get help, but the ambulance only arrived after an hour," he said.

The department responds

According to Shimoney Regter, spokesperson for the Western Cape Government Health and Wellness Department, the emergency call was logged at 17:48.

"Resources were dispatched at 18:03 and the EMS crew arrived on scene at 18:14. 

Emergency medical services manage multiple urgent calls across the area, and the response times can be affected by a range of operational and environmental factors," she said.

Spotlight on resources

However, this tragedy has again put the focus on emergency response times in George and the shortage of ambulances - several incidents last weekend raised serious concerns.

In a separate case on Friday night, 24 April, Pieter Potts (59) was struck by a Go George bus in Conville and sustained serious injuries. His cousin, Brendon Adams, a local councillor and member of parliament, says they waited some time for medical assistance, too. 

"I was informed of the accident at 19:50 and rushed to the scene. The family, police, law enforcement and traffic services were all on the scene waiting for an ambulance. When it eventually arrived, it was already transporting two elderly patients. Pieter was transport to the hospital at 20:40," Adams said.

He said the situation became overcrowded, with six people in the back - three patients, two medics and Potts' family member.

Potts died in hospital later.

In Pacaltsdorp, the community members voiced similar frustrations following several assaults and other emergencies over the long weekend. The residents claimed they waited an extended period of time for an ambulance and were allegedly told that only one vehicle was available to service the entire George area at the time.

One resident noted that the public should not get frustrated with the personnel, as they were performing their duties "under extreme challenges".

Only three ambulances

These incidents have renewed concerns about the EMS in one of the country's fastest-growing cities.

George currently has only three provincial Metro EMS ambulances serving the area. However, the issue is not simply a matter of adding more vehicles. 

Each ambulance requires a full complement of staff and, regardless of how hard the paramedics work or how fast the drivers respond, the shortage of ambulances means gaps in coverage will persist.

For every ambulance, nine staff members are needed to ensure 24-hour coverage throughout the year. 

National guidelines recommend one ambulance per 10 000 people. Based on George's population, this would equate to at least 16 ambulances.

The accident with Ayavuya Mbewana occurred on this gravel road near the white bakkie's spot.‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’