Staff Reporter
Bloemfontein – In what critics describe as a crude electioneering stunt that undermined principles of good governance, the Xhariep region was last year allegedly oversupplied with ambulances in an attempt to sway voters ahead of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.
The move, widely viewed as an abuse of state resources, saw ambulances deployed amid overt political branding.
Wearing ANC caps and EMS regalia, former Free State Health MEC Mathabo Leeto was filmed dancing to a song promoting the slogan “one ambulance, one ward” — a moment political analysts say blurred the line between government service delivery and party campaigning.
WATCH: Leeto dancing in EMS regalia
Ambulance Numbers Raise Red Flags
STEPUPSANEWS can confirm that Xhariep, with a population of approximately 130 000, currently has 23 ambulances assigned to the district.
According to accepted norms of one ambulance per 10 000 people, the district would require only 13 ambulances, leaving 10 vehicles that could have been redeployed to other under-resourced regions in the province.
Opposition parties and civil society groups argue that the skewed allocation reflects political considerations rather than healthcare needs, especially given persistent ambulance shortages elsewhere in the Free State.
BOPHELO APP
In a related development, the Department of Health launched the Bophelo App, intended to improve emergency response and access to health services. However, the contract with Vodacom was later terminated after the project reportedly failed to meet its objectives.
PATIENT FILES DIGITISATION CONTROVERSY
The Department also entered into a digitisation contract with a controversial Limpopo-based company. That contract has since collapsed amid allegations of irregularities. Despite this, patient files remain in the possession of the company, raising serious concerns about data security, continuity of care, and compliance with health information laws.
Bonny Sehularo, Acting Head of Communications at the Department of Health, had not responded to questions sent by STEPUPSANEWS at the time of publication.
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