Soshanguve Hospital Delayed By Land Allocation

Planned Soshanguve Hospital

The planned hospital in Soshanguve has been delayed by the initial allocation of land by the Tshwane Council that was too small, and needed to be replaced by a larger stand.

This information was given by Premier David Makhura in an oral reply to my questions today in the Gauteng Legislature.

Makhura said that the hospital was being built by the National Health Department in cooperation with the Gauteng Health Department and the Tshwane Metro Council.

National Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi

Planning for the hospital will be finalized in the current financial year and construction should start in the 2017/18 financial year.

National Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi had announced in August 2014 at the opening of the Thelle Mogoerane Hospital that the Soshanguve Hospital would be the next hospital built in Gauteng, and it should be finished within 18 to 24 months.

Makhura said that the first piece of land identified by Tshwane was too small and they were in the process of transferring a larger piece of appropriate land.

Gauteng Department Health

The Gauteng Health Department will take over the running of the new hospital when it is built.

If all goes to plan, the hospital should open in 2019, about five years after Motsoaledi made his announcement that it would be built.

This is not speedy progress and it remains to be seen whether the present deadlines are met.

It is strange that the national health department is building a provincial hospital, but I hope that it is built on schedule as there is a desperate need for it in Soshanguve.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

082 333 4222

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