Polokwane, Limpopo, South Africa – ROCKET, South Africa’s leading independent air ambulance provider, officially launched its private air ambulance service in Polokwane on 5 November 2026 with an opening ceremony attended by key stakeholders. This expands the organisation’s dedicated aeromedical response capability to the private sector in Limpopo, while supporting government healthcare services where needed.
“Establishing a dedicated private air ambulance service in Polokwane is an important step in extending access to specialist emergency medical response across Limpopo,” says Hendrik Louw, CEO of ROCKET.
“Our focus is on ensuring that patients and communities have access to an integrated medical emergency response capability where rapid intervention, clinical decision-making and appropriate transport can make a meaningful difference to patient outcomes.”
Strategic partnerships and expanded support
For the past four years, ROCKET has partnered with the Limpopo Department of Health (DoH) in operating the successful Pride of Limpopo Aeromedical Service from Polokwane, supporting the province’s emergency medical requirements.
This expanded private service – which was officially operational from 1 November 2026 – builds on established capability, extending time-critical emergency medical services and patient transfers to the private market across Limpopo’s outlying regions.
Operations remain integrated within the wider healthcare system through coordination between EMS personnel, receiving hospitals, and relevant healthcare stakeholders.
The Polokwane private air ambulance service operates from Polokwane Civil Airport, creating capacity to provide additional operational support to our strategic partners, Limpopo DOH during periods of high call volumes.
The private air ambulance service will also serve ROCKET Connect members in the region, providing them with direct access to ROCKET’s emergency medical response network and aeromedical resources when clinically and operationally appropriate.
A dedicated aeromedical response capability
ROCKET is a patient-centric air ambulance provider with a world-class, in-house Emergency Management Centre, professional aeromedical teams, experienced pilots, and an extensive authorised road ambulance network.
ROCKET provides emergency response and aeromedical services on a 24/7 basis and forms part of Henley Group Holdings, which owns and operates the largest twin-engined helicopter fleet in South Africa.
An air ambulance service is particularly relevant where time, distance, road infrastructure, geography, or the clinical condition of a patient make rapid access to definitive medical care critical.
By integrating aviation operations with clinical expertise and emergency medical coordination, an air ambulance service facilitates the rapid mobilisation of specialised resources and, where indicated, expedites the transfer of critically ill or injured patients to an appropriate receiving facility.
ROCKET Connect: Emergency medical assistance access for private members
The Polokwane private air ambulance service will also strengthen the medical emergency response available to ROCKET Connect members in Limpopo.
ROCKET Connect is a subscription-based EMS/HEMS solution that provides individuals, families, businesses, and tourism organisations with direct access to ROCKET’s emergency medical assistance infrastructure. Members can activate assistance through the ROCKET Connect mobile application or through the ROCKET Emergency Management Centre, which operates 24/7.
In the event of a medical emergency, ROCKET Connect provides access to emergency medical assistance, including authorised, networked road ambulance services and air ambulance response – where the patient’s condition and ROCKET’s flight criteria indicate that an air ambulance is appropriate. The service removes the need for members to navigate complex emergency arrangements during a medical crisis.
A key component of the service is ROCKET’s Emergency Management Centre which coordinates the emergency medical response and remains involved throughout the patient journey. This provides members, their families, and business management teams with a single point of contact during what can otherwise be a highly stressful and fragmented emergency.
For private members, the benefit of having a dedicated air ambulance capability operating from Polokwane is the proximity of ROCKET’s aeromedical response resources in the region, subject to clinical need, aircraft availability, weather, landing-site suitability and ROCKET flight criteria.
“The new Polokwane service strengthens our private air ambulance infrastructure and improves access to specialist aeromedical response beyond South Africa’s major metropolitan centres,” says Louw.
“By integrating aeromedical capability, emergency medical expertise, centralised coordination, and road-based EMS resources, we’re providing a coordinated, patient-centred medical emergency response focused on clinical and operational safety.”
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Author: Agnes Matladi from Olivia Jones Communications on behalf of ROCKET.
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Ope Adetayo: Ope Adetayo is a Nigerian journalist who has worked for the BBC World Service and the Voice of America. He is
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