MEC for Health Sindiswa Gomba met with the Nelson Mandela Bay Emerging Medical Services Staff after their refusal to attend to emergency calls. The meeting was a report back the MEC was giving back to EMS Staff after having met the Staff a week earlier.

Issues raised by Staff in the earlier meeting were security of staff on call-outs, post incident counselling, decentralisation of services, EMS Call Centre Staffing.

The security issues were addressed by the MEC to the satisfaction of the EMS Staff. Post-incident counselling was provided by Metropolitan. The lists of Councillors and Ward Committee Members were to be made available to all EMS Call Centre Staff in order to alert community members when an ambulance is dispatched to their areas.

The EMS Staff also picketed at malls to highlight their plight of robberies where their valuables were taken at gunpoint or knifepoint. Taxi ranks were also visited by the motorcade. The meeting was graced by the Top SAPS echelons. It was suggested that the ambulances be stationed at Police Station so that response is quicker.

The EMS Staff assured the MEC that they would resume their duties with immediate effect.