Despite there not being much more for the government to do in preparing the West Wits Hospital for Covid-19 patients, this work has still not been completed.
Anglo Gold Ashanti donated the hospital building for this purpose at the beginning of the lockdown. AGA’s spokesperson, Chris Nthite, said at the time (2 April) that it was “in good condition and has the necessary oxygen piping infrastructure and other design elements needed for a fully-functioning hospital.
The Gauteng Department of Health is working to ensure it is fully equipped and recommissioned in the coming weeks”.
Despite this, the building is still not ready for patients.
On Monday, contractors, appointed by the provincial health department, were still at the site. Scaffolding was erected against the main gate and several workers were active in this area.
“This project was supposed to be completed at the beginning of July. When we first got there, the hospital only needed some paint and other small changes.
All the extra work that is now being done is unnecessary and is just wasting money. Someone needs to investigate this,” says a community leader from the area, Mr Chucku Kerileng. He has also been employed at the site.
Although Carletonville Herald has tried to get into the site to check how far the project is from completion, security personnel at the gate previously refused the newspaper entrance.
The newspaper contacted the spokesperson of the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development, Ms Bongiwe Gambu, about the problems on Tuesday. The publication also tried to establish how far work at the isolation site in the Abe Bailey nature reserve is. She did not respond by the time of the newspaper going to print, however.
