Repair work at Charlotte Maxeke emergency unit finalised in April, vows Phaahla

The teaching hospital has not been fully operational after it was gutted by a fire in April last year.

The blaze destroyed a section of the hospital at blocks 3 and 4, including its dispensary department.

Since then, the hospital has been opened in phases with the radiation oncology services reopening in June later in the year.

On Friday, Health Minister Joe Phaahla told media headway had been made in returning the emergency to service as well.

“That unit by the end of April will be ready to be fully commissioned,” he said.

“The Development Bank of Southern Africa will then be our implementing agent. We already had agreements with the DBSA on some projects so from our side there are a number of hospital development projects which we are already working on with the DBSA so it was not going to be a problem because we have agreements already.

“The DBSA has now been appointed as the project manager for the revitalisation of this hospital and intervening in terms of where the fire damaged the hospital.”

Phaahla admitted the delays in construction work had placed massive strain on the hospital, as well as neighbouring health facilities.

According to Phaahla, the theft of installations at the facility only added to the hospital’s woes.

Three people were arrested for theft. 

Once work on the emergency unit has been completed, the hospital will continue with the refurbishment of other parts of the facility.

Phaahla revealed that the revitalisation plans at  have been pushed forward by at least three years.

The initial estimates were that revitalisation work would be completed in 2027 but this has been revised down to 2023.

Watch Phaahla below: