No ambulance to help Mandla, confirms Joburg emergency services

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services have confirmed to TshisaLIVE that no ambulances were available on the night Mandla Hlatshwayo and another person were shot and killed outside a pub in Pimville, despite an ambulance being at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, 4,7km away from the scene of the crime.

Several eyewitnesses have detailed how they waited in vain for an ambulance to arrive at the scene after making numerous calls for help.

"He (Mandla) was awake and calling for the owner. He was talking. He was breathing," one of the patrons told TshisaLIVE outside the bar on Monday."

EMS spokesperson Nana Radebe has confirmed a call was received but paramedics were unable to help.

• 4 men arrested in Mandla Hlatshwayo murder casePolice Commissioner Khomotso Phahlane has confirmed four suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of Mandla Hltshwayo and another man in Soweto 

“We did receive a call at 22.45pm but all our ambulances in the area were committed and could not attend to the call, so we referred the call to Netcare,” Radebe said.

She said the closest ambulance to the Meli tavern was delayed at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. The hospital is less than 5km from where Mandla lay gasping for breath.

"Bara (Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital) is right here. We waited for long. It must've been over an hour. He was still breathing. We ran around trying to find a pillow to put under his head. The owner of the pub was holding him and women were leaning over him. He took his last breath on that cold floor," said a patron.

• Mandla Hlatshwayo's death shows us not all #MenAreTrash"There. Right there. He died right there. Look, you are standing on his blood." 

Netcare 911 say its paramedics arrived on the scene 20 minutes after receiving the call.

"We can confirm that Netcare 911 received a call for assistance at 22h43. The Netcare 911 response vehicle arrived on scene at 23h07," said Netcare 911 Managing Director Craig Grindell.