This project seeks to explore the realities of the emergency medical system in the Durban
area, particularly relative to government policy. It contextualizes its findings within the literature
on public policy. Data for the project was collected via nine in-depth interviews with various
professionals working in the field of emergency medical services, as well as a survey of fourteen
citizens conducted in the peri-urban township of Cato Manor. This data was analyzed using
qualitative methods. While every participant had different views and a different perspective on
emergency services, some recurring themes and trends became evident, allowing for conclusions
to be drawn.
The government-run emergency services in the Durban area do not measure up to the
standards laid out by official government policy, often responding significantly slower than the
national benchmark for response times. Many private ambulance companies have stepped into
the gap in the market that this discrepancy creates, and are often significantly faster than the
government services. This public-private dynamic fits an established model in policy literature of
hybrid governance, in which third parties provide some of the services that the state would
usually provide. However, despite official regulations, even private services also often deliver
low-quality care to patients, particularly the smaller, so-called “fly-by-night” companies. There
are many different possibilities as to how the state could improve the system, such as devoting
more resources to the government service, further enforcing regulations, or creating a unified
emergency call center. Unfortunately, none of these possibilities is without problems, and many
participants were skeptical of whether any intervention could improve the system.