Air Mercy Service (AMS)

Air Mercy Service (AMS) Air Mercy Service The AMS works in partnership with the Department of Health in each of the provinces in which it operates.

It is the mission of the AMS to contribute towards an improvement in the quality of life of all communities, facilitate access to equitable and effective healthcare, and the provision of air medical and other associated humanitarian services. The AMS plays a vital role in providing not only emergency rescue and air ambulance services but also a health outreach programme, taking critically needed healthcare to impoverished communities. We will provide help whenever and wherever it is needed. We are committed to Changing Lives, Saving Lives.

Celebrating six decades through partnerships and collaboration to ensure access to healthcare for all.
03/04/2026

Celebrating six decades through partnerships and collaboration to ensure access to healthcare for all.

Celebrating 60 years of Impact!✨

The National Lotteries Commission joined Air Mercy Services at Cape Town International Airport to mark six decades of dedication, resilience, and impact. 🚁💙

03/04/2026
This morning, we welcomed CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit Show for a live broadcast from the AMS Cape Town base. 🎙️🚁✨As we cele...
01/04/2026

This morning, we welcomed CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit Show for a live broadcast from the AMS Cape Town base. 🎙️🚁✨

As we celebrate our 60th anniversary 💎, it was a great opportunity to reflect on six decades of delivering critical aero-medical care and rescue services across South Africa 🇿🇦 - it was made even more meaningful by the real stories behind our missions ❤️‍🩹

A heartfelt thank you 🙏 to Neil Dallas and Nicky Heyburgh for sharing their story on air of how they were rescued in the Tankwa following Nicky’s motorbike accident 🏍️. Their experience is a moving reminder of the impact behind every mission and the lives we are privileged to serve 💙

Thank you to the CapeTalk team for helping us shine a spotlight on this milestone 🌟 and the work that continues to save lives every day 🚑

It was great to have Lester at our Cape Town operation this morning.
01/04/2026

It was great to have Lester at our Cape Town operation this morning.

🚁 CapeTalk 567 am LIVE from AMS tomorrow!Join Lester Kiewit as he goes behind the scenes at the Air Mercy Service, bring...
31/03/2026

🚁 CapeTalk 567 am LIVE from AMS tomorrow!
Join Lester Kiewit as he goes behind the scenes at the Air Mercy Service, bringing you all the action you don’t want to miss.

📅 1 April 2026
⏰ 6AM – 9AM

Celebrating 60 years of service. This is your exclusive inside look into the life-saving missions that make a difference every day in the lives of those we serve.

Tune in and be part of the journey.

A Diamond Jubilee of Compassion: 60 Years of Serving South Africa 💎🩺🚁🇿🇦Proud celebrating 60 years of delivering critical...
29/03/2026

A Diamond Jubilee of Compassion: 60 Years of Serving South Africa 💎🩺🚁🇿🇦

Proud celebrating 60 years of delivering critical aero-medical and rescue services across South Africa, marking a legacy of innovation, compassion, and life-saving impact.

The 60th anniversary celebration 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.

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. “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.”

In his address, Mr. Farhaad Haffejee, AMS CEO, 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. “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.”

The evening programme featured contributions from key partners and sector leaders, including Platinum Sponsor, Rotortrade address by Mr. Aurelian Blanc of Rotortrade, reaffirming the importance of aviation partnerships in enabling life-saving operations.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (Former Chairperson of the African Union Commission) 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 respected South African broadcaster Mr. Africa Melane, who guided the evening’s reflections and engagements. 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.

👉Learn more about our 60-year journey of lifesaving impact and continued service to South Africa by visiting our website: www.ams.org.za







For 60 years, South Africa’s Air Mercy Service has played a critical role in strengthening access to healthcare across t...
27/03/2026

For 60 years, South Africa’s Air Mercy Service has played a critical role in strengthening access to healthcare across the country — particularly in rural and underserved communities.

From emergency response to aero-medical support, AMS has consistently stood at the intersection of innovation, partnership, and service.

As we mark this milestone, we recognise not only a legacy of impact but a continued commitment to reaching those who need care the most.

Last night we celebrated our 60th anniversary celebration, an incredible milestone showcasing 60 years of service. For s...
27/03/2026

Last night we celebrated our 60th anniversary celebration, an incredible milestone showcasing 60 years of service. For six decades, AMS has been bridging the gap between people and life-saving care, reaching communities where access would otherwise not exist. ✈️

The evening was a reminder that impact is only possible together, reflecting on partnership and purpose.

Here’s to Changing Lives and Saving Lives ❤️
📷: Grant Duncan Smith

26/03/2026

AMS 60th Anniversary Celebration

🚁🎉 Helicopter Competition Winner Announcement!! 🎉🚁Congratulations to Ann Axelson, our lucky winner of our 2025 Helicopte...
30/12/2025

🚁🎉 Helicopter Competition Winner Announcement!! 🎉🚁

Congratulations to Ann Axelson, our lucky winner of our 2025 Helicopter Competition! 🌟

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who entered and showed their support, helping us continue our lifesaving missions. 🙏

Together, we are making a real difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Wishing you all a joyful holiday season and a bright, successful year ahead. 🎄✨

Address

Head Office: Beechcraft Road, General Aviation Area, Cape Town International
Cape Town
8001

Telephone

+27219356900

Website

https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1569601470

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Our Story

The SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service Trust (AMS) a non-profit aero-medical rescue organisation working in partnership with the various Provincial Departments of Health in South Africa to ensure that the National Health System is strengthened through the provision of rescue, air ambulance and rural health outreach services. The mission of AMS is to facilitate access to healthcare to those rendered most vulnerable by geographical, social or economic inequity and in so doing, reduce vulnerability of at-risk communities and judiciously improve the quality of life. We work closely with Provincials Departments of Health and health workers in the communities to assess needs and implement appropriate healthcare programmes.

The AMS was established in 1966 by The South African Red Cross Society and formed into an Independent Trust in 1994. The AMS has grown into a comprehensive aero-medical service with a unique service delivery model, utilising volunteers, professionals, strong partnerships with the Departments of Health, not-for-profit organisations and the private sector to facilitate access to appropriate healthcare services for both the critically ill or injured persons and those requiring specialist medical expertise, especially from remote rural communities. The AMS is the only aero-medical operator in Southern Africa which offers a complete package of air-ambulance, health outreach and rescue services, using a mix of fixed-wing and rotor-wing aircraft and ground vehicles. The service has expanded to include Night Vision Systems into the organisation’s helicopter operation. The extension of the programme is to ensure that the community has access to the helicopter 24 hours a day.

Our commitment to changing lives and saving lives knows no boundaries. The AMS will provide help whenever and wherever it is needed.