‘They tend to bulldoze’: Court delays interdict in dispute between ALS Paramedics and KZN MEC

The office of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) MEC for transport and lawyers representing ALS Paramedics are taking different views of Monday’s decision in the Pietermaritzburg High Court. ALS Paramedics last week brought an urgent application to interdict MEC Siboniso Duma from making comments about the first responders’ accident reporting, which they deem to be unlawful and defamatory. Duma’s office stated the application failed “dismally”; however, despite the court not granting an urgent interdict, Duma was given until 26 March to present supplementary documentation, as the court deemed that ALS’s allegations were sufficient enough to warrant a response.

The argument stems from a 29 January accident near Isipingo, in which a truck collided with a taxi, pinning the vehicle and its injured passengers against a tree and embankment. Following the incident, the MEC accused ALS of mishandling accident scenes and relaying information to the media that differed from that provided by municipal and provincial authorities. “When they enter the scene, they tend to bulldoze.

“If you don’t have medical aid, they are not going to assist you, even if it means you are dying, or they could still save you. That is why we prefer you deal with the Department of Health,” said Duma after the Isipingo incident. Duma’s legal team sought to have the application dismissed altogether, but the court denied the request.

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Rogers confirmed the government was funding the MEC’s legal defence. “The MEC remains defiant and refused to withdraw his comments about ALS. “We would have hoped the MEC would have demonstrated some accountability instead of doubling down at taxpayers’ expense,” he stated on Monday.

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