Woman Dies While Emergency Services Falter
Reporter – George April
Cape Town:- A tragic incident in Hopefield has once again exposed the deepening crisis in public healthcare in the Western Cape. A woman reportedly died after an ambulance, dispatched from Vredenburg, arrived after a long delay , and without vital emergency equipment, including oxygen.
Picture – Google.com
– A local pharmacist who witnessed the incident spoke to CCN
“When I saw how long they were taking with the patient, I confronted the ambulance driver. That’s when I noticed there was no oxygen or emergency tools in the vehicle. I begged them to take her to hospital immediately, but no one listened. Sadly, she died soon after.”
Residents in Hopefield say this is not an isolated case. They claim it often takes hours for ambulances to arrive and when they do, they are poorly equipped to handle emergencies. “We’ve been pleading for our own ambulance for years,” said a concerned resident. “Why must we lose lives before our community is taken seriously?”
This tragedy aligns with growing warnings from hospitals across the province. Just this week, the Western Cape Government issued a notice stating that Eerste River Hospital’s Emergency Centre is under pressure, urging patients with minor ailments to visit clinics instead, to ease the burden on life-saving services.
A similar message was also released by Khayelitsha District Hospital, signaling a pattern of rising strain across major facilities in the province.
In response to the Hopefield case, an official from the Western Cape Department of Health, who asked not to be named publicly, told CCN:
“We are aware of ongoing challenges in ambulance availability and hospital capacity, especially in rural areas. The Department is working on strengthening emergency response systems, but limited resources, high patient volumes, and aging infrastructure remain serious obstacles. We express our condolences to the family affected.”
However, community leaders insist that more urgent intervention is needed.
– They are calling on national and provincial government to fast-track investment into ambulance services, rural clinics, and equipment.
