Parliament, Friday, 27 March 2026 – The Select Committee on Social Services has called on the Free State Department of Health to submit timebound plans to improve the state of public health facilities in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.
The committee made this call at the end of its two-day oversight visit to public health facilities in the municipality from 25 to 26 March 2026. The Provincial Department of Health has been given seven days to provide detailed responses, which will inform the committee’s report and recommendations to the Free State Province’s MEC for Health and the national Department of Health.
During the oversight visit, the committee visited the following facilities:
Day 1: Mmabana Phahameng Clinic, Heidedal Community Health Centre, and Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital.
Day 2: MUCPP Community Health Centre, Gateway Clinic, National District Hospital, Free State Emergency Medical Services Depot (EMS), and Universitas Academic Hospital.
The committee observed recurring challenges, including infrastructure maintenance backlogs, budgetary constraints, staff shortages and operational pressures affecting emergency medical services.
Specific issues included space constraints and worn-out infrastructure at Mmabana Phahameng Clinic, maintenance and water system challenges at Heidedal CHC, and operational pressures at MUCPP Community Health Centre.
At Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital, progress in the maternity unit construction was welcomed. Infrastructure and capacity challenges were noted at Gateway Clinic and National District Hospital, while the EMS Depot and Universitas Academic Hospital face fleet maintenance and operational constraints.
Despite these challenges, the committee commended healthcare workers, support staff and management for their dedication under demanding conditions.
The committee was pleased by reports of zero child and maternal deaths at MUCPP in the last five years as well as the progress being made in the construction of the new maternity ward at Pelonomi Hospital.
The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Desery Fienies, emphasised that the oversight visit was conducted in a spirit of cooperation and support. “The purpose of this oversight is not to police the department, but to identify challenges and propose practical interventions to strengthen service delivery. We appreciate the department’s openness and willingness to engage,” she said.
She added: “The committee will continue to engage constructively with both provincial and national health departments to ensure that the proposed plans are realised.”
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL SERVICES, MS DESERY FIENIES.
For media enquiries, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Temba Gubula (Mr)
Cell: 081 402 3531
E-mail: tgubula@parliament.gov.za
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