Clinic idle while poor patients are treated in tent

Building long finished

A new clinic in Tshwane has been standing idle for almost two years while patients get treated in a tent and prefab containers.

Residents of Mandela in Hammanskraal never imagined that they would be using a temporary clinic for five years, but due to a province not getting approvals to connect to the city ’ s bulk services, the new state-of-the-art R115m clinic couldn ’ t be opened.

Residents have spoken about having to endure unbearable circumstances during extreme weather conditions while waiting to be assisted inside the tent which doesn ’ t have proper ventilation.

“In summer we find ourselves sweating due to the unbearable heat while in winter we freeze inside that tent which has been our clinic for about five years,” said Nthato Ramashala.

Ramashala, 40, is among those eagerly waiting for the new facility to be opened.

A big white tent serves as the temporary clinic ’ s waiting area while several prefab containers house offices, toilets and areas where patients are treated at the temporary facility which houses the Mandisa Shiceka clinic.

The taps in the toilet basins inside the containers have no knobs, which means those using ablution facilities are not be able to wash their hands afterwards.

The new facility is situated just next door and can ’ t open due to issues around the municipal approval for the land which would be used as the clinic ’ s parking, according to the Gauteng department of infrastructure development which built the facility.

Spokesperson for the department Bongiwe Gambu said: The facility is complete, however the department requested land to be donated by City of Tshwane to be used for parking.

The current parking is inadequate for the size and service delivery model that the clinic is intended to provide.

Furthermore, the City of Tshwane delayed the approval of wayleaves which will allow the contractor to connect to the bulk services of the city as well as laying of cables and pipes.”

Sowetan has, however, learnt fromlocals that the new facility didn ’ t even have electricity despite construction being completed long ago.

Gambu said the placing of Tshwane metro under administration further delayed the opening of the facility.