High Court Dismisses ALS Paramedics Service’s Bid to Interdict KZN Transport MEC
- The Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed ALS Paramedics’ urgent application to interdict KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport Siboniso Duma from making comments about their reporting
- The court ruling vindicates the MEC, who criticised ALS for allegedly misreporting casualty figures in multiple road accidents
- MEC Duma remains defiant, emphasising his commitment to road safety and accountability while the legal process continues
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PIETERMARITZBURG – The Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed an urgent application by ALS Paramedics seeking to interdict KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, from making further allegedly defamatory comments about the organisation.
ALS Paramedics had approached the court after Duma publicly criticised their reporting on a series of road accidents, including a major crash in Isipingo on 29 January 2026, arguing that Duma’s comments were defamatory. The application sought to prevent the MEC from making further statements about ALS’s operations.
High Court ruling
Judge PC Bezhuidenhout refused to grant the interim interdict, siding with the MEC’s legal team led by Advocate Kwazi Mshengu. In a statement, the MEC’s office described the ruling as a vindication of their position and reaffirmed Duma’s mandate to hold road safety stakeholders accountable.
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'The judgement empowers Duma, as an executive authority responsible for road safety, to continue demonstrating accountability and transparency in the interest of ordinary people of KwaZulu-Natal, especially affected families,” said Mshengu
Key evidence in court
According to the KZN transport department, the court papers revealed multiple instances where ALS’s reporting had allegedly misrepresented facts. Among these was the Isipingo accident, where ALS’s Director and Spokesperson, Garrith Jamieson, reportedly provided incorrect casualty figures.
Similarly, in January 2026, Jamieson stated a scholar transport accident in Pinetown, claiming nine learners were injured, whereas only three were affected. Another misreport involved a 2025 N3 West accident, where ALS overstated the number of passengers in an overloaded taxi.
The MEC’s legal team argued that ALS’s application was driven by commercial and reputational interests rather than genuine legal concern.
ALS statement on court proceedings
According to the emergency service's legal representative, Wesley Rogers, the MEC's legal team failed to have the application struck out, with the court finding that there was defamation on the face of the allegations, and instead placed the MEC on terms to supplement his papers, providing reasons why an interdict should not be issued on 4 May 2026.
ALS further said the MEC remains defiant and has refused to withdraw his comments about the organisation.
“The MEC’s office is funding his defence at taxpayers’ cost. We would have hoped the MEC would have demonstrated some accountability instead of doubling down at taxpayers’ expense, allowing him to focus his attention on the ongoing carnage on our roads rather than pursuing his agenda with ALS,” the statement read.
MEC Duma’s response
Despite the dismissal, the court has placed MEC Duma on terms to supplement his papers by 26 March 2026, providing reasons why an interdict should not be issued in the future.
The MEC’s office has stated it will fund Duma’s defence at taxpayers’ cost and reiterated his commitment to confronting incorrect reporting while prioritising road safety initiatives across the province. Duma remains defiant and has refused to withdraw his comments about ALS.
"The MEC remains committed to working with all stakeholders for the betterment of the people of KwaZulu-Natal. He will not shy away from confronting the wrongs and place the people of the province ahead of everything," the statement reads
Articles about paramedics
A paramedic emotionally appealed to South Africans to include first responders in their prayers, saying the trauma of attending the Vaal accident, where many schoolchildren died, has deeply affected her and her colleagues. She shared a video from inside an ambulance, emphasising that covering the bodies of young victims takes a heavy toll and that paramedics are also human beings who carry the emotional burden home.
A tragic ambulance accident in the Eastern Cape claimed the lives of a patient and an EMS paramedic when the vehicle overturned on the R392 near Queenstown, about 25 km from Komani, after the driver lost control. Another paramedic was injured, prompting Eastern Cape Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa to express condolences to the families and highlight the profound loss of both the health worker and the patient.
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Previously, Briefly News reported that a single mother and paramedic inspired many on social media with a TikTok vlog showing her return from a night shift to her cosy home and disciplined, healthy lifestyle. Viewers praised her beautiful living space, her commitment to fitness and nutrition, and the way she balances motherhood with her demanding job.
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