It’s been 10 months of stuttered progress, missed deadlines, and limited communication on why the Gauteng provincial government has been unable to get Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital fully reopened after a fire last April. The Gauteng government has now put it down to a "disagreement" between the Gauteng Departments of Health and Infrastructure and Development.
"The two departments were not able to agree on the scope or the budget and I had to step in and mediate from the Office of the Premier in December," Acting Director-General in the Office of the Premier, Thabo Masebe said at a media briefing held at the hospital on 17 February.
Management and oversight of the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital as a provincial asset were split between the two departments. The City of Joburg is also responsible for maintaining the likes of fire hydrants that would have serviced the facility.
Along with this damning reveal, it has emerged that just days before on 9 February a proclamation was gazetted to transfer the hospital to the sole management of the National Department of Health, away from the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Development. The oversight for the rebuild will also now fall under the national health department with Ayanda Dakela, head of infrastructure at the National Department of Health, in the hot seat.
The @GautengProvince is fast-tracking remedial work at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Premier @David_Makhura has signed a proclamation to transfer all functions relating to the refurbishments at CMJAH from the @GPDID to @GautengHealth – Acting DG @tmasebe. pic.twitter.com/Spi5gMCaF3
— GautengGov (@GautengProvince) February 17, 2022
A new timeline for repairs
Dakela’s timeline for a full return to services stretches till the end of 2023. He considers this a "fast-tracked" timeline, as they had first targeted to finish around 2027, he said.
Meanwhile, the continued shutdown of services and functioning at the specialist academic hospital is causing crises for patients, staff, trainee doctors, and health workers from Gauteng and also surrounding provinces.
Pressure at the facility and still-fumbling management was clear, with the media briefing delayed by 90 minutes as the officials met separately and then an electricity feed problem forcing a venue change. Outside the hospital, the roads were congested with double-parked cars because staff have nowhere to park and no alternatives have been arranged.
No budget details The officials at the briefing could not give a budget for the remedial work, with Masebe saying that the number would become […]
