WC govt says emergency health services were under extreme pressure over festive season

Western Cape government officials said that the province's emergency health services were once again under extreme pressure over the festive season, with more than 177,000 cases between December and January.

Stats for the period between 15 December and 14 January show emergency medical services responded to more than 47,000 incidents, while emergency centres across the province treated more than 130,000 patients.

Chief operating officer for the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Department Doctor Saadiq Kariem said emergency medical services teams responded to a total of 47,351 emergency calls during the festive season.

Kariem said 7,353 assault cases were reported, with 1,437 motor vehicle incidents and 93 drownings.

Four-hundred-and-twenty-three people were treated for gunshot wounds, while 4,450 stabbings were recorded.

"These numbers again demonstrate the sustained pressure placed on our emergency centres over the festive season. Preventable trauma accounts for a significant portion of visits."

The forensic pathology service confirmed 941 deaths, while road traffic fatalities increased from 89 to 117 compared to the same period in 2025.