Work halted on R150m centre
WORK has stopped on a R150 million community health care centre in Port Nolloth, being developed by the Independent Development Trust, which was originally set to open at the end of this month.
The Independent Development Trust (IDT) confirmed that work on this site has stopped after the contractor suspended work on site due to delays in payments by the Department of Health, and subsequently by the IDT to the contractor.
IDT spokesperson, Lesego Mashigo, explained yesterday that the department paid the IDT on the basis of invoices received from the IDT and that they had received the invoice for the month of June 2018 but no payment had been received for that month.
“According to the JBCC contract, the contractor can give a three days’ notice of intention to suspend work on site and if payment is not made within that three days they can lawfully abandon site. The work was stopped on July 24, 2018, and at that time the project was at 88% towards completion. The IDT is busy negotiating with the department to speed up this payment so that work can resume as soon as possible.”
Mashigo added that the IDT did not believe that this community health centre would become a white elephant as there is a dire need for this facility in the local community.
“This need was also confirmed by our social facilitation process, which we undertake before entering the construction phase of all our projects – the aim of which is to enhance self-reliance at a community level and helps prepare communities to receive, participate in, own and sustain their development.”
Mashigo could not confirm how much was still outstanding but according to reports it was in the vicinity of around R20 million.
“It is very sad because literally it is just the finishing touches that need to be done, like putting in the floors, etc.”
The project is aimed at enhancing the town’s residents’ access to quality health care and is being development by the IDT on behalf of the Northern Cape Department of Health.
Once completed the building will include all primary health facilities including a trauma unit, radiology, dispensary, psychiatric ward, maternity wards and paediatric wards, while consultation rooms are being constructed that will be used for reproductive health services, psychologist, dietitian and other services.
Work on site also encompasses construction of facilities for support services, including administration and waiting areas, ambulance quarters and parking bays, overnight accommodation for paediatric mothers, a mortuary, kitchen and dining area, stores and maintenance area.
The project was expected to run for 24 months until the end of August 2018.
By the time the work was stopped, it was reported by the IDT that the contractor is currently busy with installation of the roof in some of the buildings, internal plastering, painting and external works like paving, lighting and parking areas.
The project experienced teething challenges when it was discovered that the land that was allocated for the centre was a historical landfill site and therefore the ground was not suitable for construction. This was, however, overcome with deep earthworks excavations on the property and impacting the ground with a different type of soil imported from Springbok.
Despite the early setbacks, the project was said to be on track for completion on time, budget, quality and scope.
The Kimberley mental health hospital, which reportedly also only needed “the final finishing touches” at the end of last year, has still not been completed after nearly 13 years and R2 billion.