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10 April 2026
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Celebrating 60 years of service: Air Mercy Service marks diamond jubilee
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The Air Mercy Service (AMS) proudly celebrated 60 years of delivering critical aero-medical and rescue services across South Africa, marking a legacy of innovation, compassion and life-saving impact. Since its establishment in 1966, AMS has played a vital role in bridging the gap between remote communities and essential healthcare. Through a unique partnership model, the organisation has evolved into a highly specialised aero-medical and healthcare support service, providing emergency aero-medical transport, rescue operations and a Flying Doctor outreach programme to underserved and rural communities.
The 60th anniversary celebration, hosted at AMS’s base in the General Aviation Area of Cape Town International Airport, brought together government leaders, international partners, donors and stakeholders across the aviation and healthcare sectors to reflect on six decades of impact and chart a path forward.
Leadership reflections: A strategic moment
Delivering the Chairperson’s address, Mr Gideon Sam emphasised that the milestone was more than a celebration; it was a defining moment for the organisation’s future. “This is not merely a commemoration. It is a moment of strategic intent,” he said.
Sam highlighted AMS’s role as a critical extension of South Africa’s healthcare system: “From the outset, our work was never designed to stand alone; it was built to be embedded within the broader national health agenda,, extending specialist care into the most underserved communities and acting as a force multiplier for a public health sector stretched to its limits.”
Looking ahead, he outlined three strategic priorities for the organisation: removing distance as a barrier to care, deepening integration with the health system, and driving innovation and sustainability. “The next chapter of the Air Mercy Service will be defined by deeper, more intentional partnerships – because none of this will be achieved alone.”
CEO Perspective: Excellence in Action
In his address, Mr Farhaad Haffejee reinforced the operational strength and human impact behind AMS’s work. “Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude – and that attitude has defined the Air Mercy Service for six decades,” he said.
Haffejee underscored that while the anniversary marks an important milestone, the true measure of AMS lies in its daily impact: “Every flight we undertake represents a critical moment – a patient in need, a community in distress, a healthcare system under pressure. Our role is to respond efficiently, safely and with clinical excellence.”
He further highlighted AMS’s integrated model within the healthcare system: “We are not a standalone service. We are embedded within the system supporting provincial departments, extending hospital capacity and enabling access to care where it would otherwise not exist.”
Looking forward, Haffejee outlined a clear strategic focus on operational excellence, sustainable growth and collaborative impact, emphasising the need for continued partnership and innovation.
A platform for partnership and impact
The evening programme featured contributions from key partners and sector leaders, including a Platinum Sponsor address by Aurelian Blanc of Rotortrade, reaffirming the importance of aviation partnerships in enabling life-saving operations.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma spoke on advancing equitable healthcare, highlighting the importance of strengthening systems to reach vulnerable populations.
This was followed by a sector-wide perspective from Ms Jodi Scholtz (NLC Commissioner), who emphasised the importance of collaboration between government, civil society and the private sector in building sustainable impact.
The programme was facilitated by Mr Africa Melane, who guided the evening’s reflections and engagements.
A legacy of impact
Over the past six decades, AMS has:
Looking ahead
As AMS looks to the future, the organisation remains focused on expanding its reach, enhancing its capabilities, and strengthening partnerships to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all South Africans. “Access to quality healthcare should not be determined by geography,” said Haffejee. “The impact we celebrate today is a collective achievement and the future will be built together.”
The anniversary event also served as a platform to raise awareness and critical funding requirements to sustain and grow AMS’s life-saving services.
Quotes of the week
“Leadership is lifting a person's vision to high sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” ~ Peter Drucker
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Lee Raath-Brownie
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Cell: 082 371 0190
Contact us
Tel: 011 452 3135 or Email: [email protected]
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The 60th anniversary celebration, hosted at AMS’s base in the General Aviation Area of Cape Town International Airport, brought together government leaders, international partners, donors and stakeholders across the aviation and healthcare sectors to reflect on six decades of impact and chart a path forward.
Leadership reflections: A strategic moment
Delivering the Chairperson’s address, Mr Gideon Sam emphasised that the milestone was more than a celebration; it was a defining moment for the organisation’s future. “This is not merely a commemoration. It is a moment of strategic intent,” he said.
Sam highlighted AMS’s role as a critical extension of South Africa’s healthcare system: “From the outset, our work was never designed to stand alone; it was built to be embedded within the broader national health agenda,, extending specialist care into the most underserved communities and acting as a force multiplier for a public health sector stretched to its limits.”
Looking ahead, he outlined three strategic priorities for the organisation: removing distance as a barrier to care, deepening integration with the health system, and driving innovation and sustainability. “The next chapter of the Air Mercy Service will be defined by deeper, more intentional partnerships – because none of this will be achieved alone.”
CEO Perspective: Excellence in Action
In his address, Mr Farhaad Haffejee reinforced the operational strength and human impact behind AMS’s work. “Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude – and that attitude has defined the Air Mercy Service for six decades,” he said.
Haffejee underscored that while the anniversary marks an important milestone, the true measure of AMS lies in its daily impact: “Every flight we undertake represents a critical moment – a patient in need, a community in distress, a healthcare system under pressure. Our role is to respond efficiently, safely and with clinical excellence.”
He further highlighted AMS’s integrated model within the healthcare system: “We are not a standalone service. We are embedded within the system supporting provincial departments, extending hospital capacity and enabling access to care where it would otherwise not exist.”
Looking forward, Haffejee outlined a clear strategic focus on operational excellence, sustainable growth and collaborative impact, emphasising the need for continued partnership and innovation.
A platform for partnership and impact
The evening programme featured contributions from key partners and sector leaders, including a Platinum Sponsor address by Aurelian Blanc of Rotortrade, reaffirming the importance of aviation partnerships in enabling life-saving operations.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma spoke on advancing equitable healthcare, highlighting the importance of strengthening systems to reach vulnerable populations.
This was followed by a sector-wide perspective from Ms Jodi Scholtz (NLC Commissioner), who emphasised the importance of collaboration between government, civil society and the private sector in building sustainable impact.
The programme was facilitated by Mr Africa Melane, who guided the evening’s reflections and engagements.
A legacy of impact
Over the past six decades, AMS has:
- Conducted thousands of life-saving patient transfers
- Delivered critical care to remote and underserved communities
- Supported disaster response and humanitarian efforts
- Strengthened the public health system through outreach and training
Looking ahead
As AMS looks to the future, the organisation remains focused on expanding its reach, enhancing its capabilities, and strengthening partnerships to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all South Africans. “Access to quality healthcare should not be determined by geography,” said Haffejee. “The impact we celebrate today is a collective achievement and the future will be built together.”
The anniversary event also served as a platform to raise awareness and critical funding requirements to sustain and grow AMS’s life-saving services.
Quotes of the week
“Leadership is lifting a person's vision to high sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” ~ Peter Drucker
Fire and Rescue International is your magazine.
Read it, use it and share it!
Read the latest FRI magazine: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-vol-8-no-4.html
Read the latest Disaster Management Journal: https://www.frimedia.org/dmj-vol-7-no-1.html
FRI magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-archives.html
DMJ magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/dmj-magazine.html
Enjoy the read!
Lee Raath-Brownie
Managing director
Cell: 082 371 0190
Contact us
Tel: 011 452 3135 or Email: [email protected]
Websites
www.fireandrescue.co
www.frimedia.org
www.facebook.com/FireandRescueInternational
www.twitter.com/FRI_magazine
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-raath-brownie-16668065/
