Hospital project alarm

UPGRADES: R12M INVESTMENT MAKES NO SENSE, SAYS COUNCILLOR

‘Under normal circumstances, the facility is sufficient for the Bronkhorstspruit community.’

That is then a big hospital in the middle of nowhere.

Bronwynn Engelbrecht Tshwane DA councillor

Some questions are starting to grow about the delayed upgrade of the Bronkhorstspruit hospital following a R12 million injection by BMW. Last June, BMW Germany announced the company would partner with the government to upgrade eight hospitals in three provinces and four community clinics with 750 beds to support during the second wave of the Covid-19 peak.

Tshwane Democratic Alliance councillor Bronwynn Engelbrecht said the R12 million investment into the Bronkhorstspruit hospital made no sense.

Engelbrecht said she can’t understand why the department of health would invest in the hospital because it is located on the edge of Tshwane where there is a small population.

“The hospital used to belong to Netcare and was later taken over by the state. Under normal circumstances, the hospital is sufficient for the Bronkhorstspruit community,” Engelbrecht said.

“It makes no sense putting 150 extra beds, valued at R12 million, into the small hospital. It could be better used in an area such as Mamelodi, which has a much higher population and the hospitals are under pressure.”

Engelbrecht said if the field hospital was complete as expected on 15 December, it would have helped with the current surge in Covid-19 cases.

“But not in Bronkhorstspruit, in Mamelodi yes,” she said.

She explained adding the extra beds would total from 64 beds to 214 beds.

“That is then a big hospital in the middle of nowhere.”

According to Engelbrecht, the extra beds were delayed when sub-contractors allegedly downed their tools and demanded more money to finish the job.

Engelbrecht said she was informed a local councillor was allegedly encouraging the stoppages.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced last week the hospital upgrades would be completed by the end of the month.

Makhura’s spokesman, Thabo Masebe, said the hospitals will be completed on time.

“There are three things needed for a new hospital. The infrastructure is needed, which is the responsibility of the department of infrastructure development, then secondly medical equipment and thirdly, medical staff are needed, which is the responsibility of the department of health.”

Masebe could not give a timeline on when the project will be completed.

“I can assure you, both the departments are working on it and all these things are being attended to,” he said.