Mamelodi Psychiatric ward never used due to poor building work

20 November 2017

The Psychiatric ward at the Mamelodi Hospital has never been used because of shoddy work by a contractor, and R3.9 million is to be spent on it to bring it up to acceptable standard.

This is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to Ramokgopa, the contract was awarded in 2013 and terminated in 2014 due to poor performance by the contractor who was paid for the assessed work that was done but not the full contract price.

A new contractor has been appointed to do the building, electrical and mechanical changes that are needed at a total cost of R3.9 million.

I am dismayed that a psychiatric ward that should have been completed two years ago is not in operation because of poor building work by a contractor.

This is the third psychiatric ward at a major hospital that cannot be used because of incompetence or possible corruption in choosing a building company unable to do the job.

The two psychiatric wards at the Helen Joseph Hospital were supposed to be renovated by August last year, and the psychiatric ward at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital should have been refurbished in 2014 but the cost has tripled to R34 million and is supposed to be finished next year.

It highlights once again how psychiatric patients have suffered because of incompetence by the Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) which is responsible for hospital building projects.

I hope that the new Service Level Agreement that the Health Department has signed with the DID will ensure that only competent contractors are chosen who can do the job on time and within budget.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 20 November 2017