Parliament, Wednesday, 18 September 2024 – A high-level delegation of Mpumalanga’s Permanent Delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and Members of the Provincial Legislature have welcomed plans by the provincial health department to rebuild one of the province’s oldest hospitals.
The delegation conducted an oversight visit today as part of the Provincial Week activities to assess progress on the refurbishment of sections of the hospital. Though sections of the hospital are receiving facelifts, it was clear during the walkabout that due to their age, renovations will not bring the necessary improvements and that the department must consider building a new structure.
Some members of the delegation felt that investing funds in refurbishing the dilapidated, almost 100-year-old building was a waste of resources. They recommended that plans be made to build a new, modern infrastructure to meet the conditions for implementing the National Health Insurance.
Mpumalanga’s MEC for Health, Ms Sasekani Manzini, said, “Lydenburg Hospital is on our ten-year plan of hospitals that will be rebuilt. We will continue building state-of-the-art hospitals but cannot do it all at once. We do not have the budget. We are highly committed. We currently have Middelburg and Mapulaneng hospitals that are under construction.”
The NCOP and Provincial Legislature delegation welcomed the department’s plans to build a new hospital and added that the improved infrastructure must be accompanied by adequate staffing and resourcing for effective service delivery.
“A state-of-the-art infrastructure without improved services is not progressive; infrastructure must be accompanied by effective service delivery,” said delegation leader and Mpumalanga Provincial Whip in the NCOP, Ms Sylvia Nxumalo.
The delegation also conducted oversight at some human settlement projects, including a faulty sewerage pipeline that was allowing raw sewer to flow into people’s homes and a new sewerage pipe that is under construction.
NCOP delegates and MPLs were disappointed about the spillage and worried about the risk of disease outbreaks in the community.
Thaba Chweu Local Municipality officials committed to addressing the matter before the end of Provincial Week. The delegation will return to the site on Friday to follow up on the municipality’s commitment.
Commenting on the common challenges of delayed and incomplete infrastructure projects in Thaba Chweu, the Provincial Whip said authorities must work hard to address this, as it negatively impacts service delivery.
Tomorrow, the delegation will conduct an oversight visit of Thaba Chweu Boarding School and road projects in the area.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL WHIP IN THE NCOP, MS SYLVIA NXUMALO.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Mpumalanga Provincial Whip, please contact:
Name: Sakhile Mokoena
Cell: 081 705 2130
E-mail: smokoena@parliament.gov.za
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