Magic in Limpopo

In the US of A there is a game of sorts, called Find Wally. In Limpopo Province in South Africa there is a game called find the ambulance.

Yes indeed. In South Africa, it is a badly kept secret that our provincial and municipal Emergency Services are in a mess. I know from first hand experience that this is the case, having been in a field where I had close contact with the EMS stations and departments.

We are in desperate need of new vehicles and of course, better trained and equiped EMS staff.
During 2007, Limpopo province addressed this situation and purchased 100 shiney new ambulances at a cost of some R60 million .
However, it was reported in the Sowetan 0n 6th October that 80- yes, allow me to spell it out- EIGHTY, of these ambulances have 'poof', dissappeared. In a trick that would have done David Copperfield proud, it is alleged that the EMS manager, Bim Kerupashad and Admin head, Herbert Phaahla, have pulled a non entertaining trick from their box, by making 80 of these ambulances dissappear.

When contacted for comment, the spokesman, Selby Makgotho, surprisingly just said there was an investigation and refused to comment further. Shock and horror- a government official not commenting on allegations of fraud and corruption. Now that does not happen often.

I guess I am not concerned about the fact that 80 of these much needed ambulances have been magically turned to 'money', nor am I concerned that this whole issue will, like the ambulances, just vanish- what I am really doing is highlighting the names of the two allegedly concerned, so we can track their rapid progress up the political ranks now that they have the relevant qualifications.