LIMPOPO – Nkhensani Hospital has come under scrutiny following allegations that patients are being transported in overcrowded ambulances, including on long-distance trips to hospitals in Gauteng.

The concern centres on an alleged incident on Heritage Day, September 24, when patients were allegedly transported from Nkhensani Hospital to George Mukhari Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Gauteng in an overloaded ambulance.

Squeezed in the back

“If I’m not mistaken, there were about eight or nine of us at the back of the ambulance, in a space that is supposed to accommodate three people: a patient, their next of kin and a nurse,” explained one of the complainants who was among those transported.

“As a result, there were not enough seats for everyone, and some of us had to sit on the bed meant for the patient,” she continued, but asked to remain anonymous for fear of being victimised.

Appointments that cannot be missed

When asked why they agreed to get into the ambulance knowing it was full, she said that this was because most of the patients being transported were desperate and feared missing their appointments at their respective hospitals.

“Remember, all the patients being transported by ambulance from Nkhensani have been booked for various medical appointments at other hospitals. Some of these appointments take more than six months, or even a year, to secure.

So, if you miss an appointment because you refuse to board an overcrowded ambulance, it means you may have to wait another six months or a year for another appointment.

Photos raise capacity questions

Photographs circulating in the public domain appear to show an ambulance carrying many patients, with some allegedly standing during the journey.

The incident has raised questions about the hospital’s patient transport arrangements and whether its available ambulance capacity is sufficient for inter-provincial transfers. This is despite the hospital having recently received new ambulances, raising further questions about how the additional vehicles are being utilised.

When asked about the incident, Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said the department was investigating the circumstances surrounding the reported incident.

“The department has noted the concerns regarding patient transportation from Nkhensani Hospital and is looking into the specific circumstances surrounding the reported incident on 24 September 2026,” he said.

He said the department was assessing the utilisation and operational capacity of available vehicles to determine whether the transportation arrangements were appropriate for the needs and condition of the patients being transferred.

“The department takes all concerns related to the safety, comfort and dignity of patients during transportation seriously,” he said.

Department reserves judgment

Shikwambana said the department did not want to pre-empt the outcome of the assessment by attributing the incident to a shortage of ambulances or drivers before the relevant facts had been established.

“The department does not want to pre-empt the outcome of this assessment by attributing the reported incident to a shortage of ambulance drivers before the relevant facts have been established,” he said.

He said any operational shortcomings identified during the assessment would be addressed.

“Where any operational shortcomings are identified through this assessment, the department will take the necessary measures to address them,” he said.