The team led by the SAHRC chairperson, Bongani Majola, kicked off their oversight visit at the Pelonomi Hospital and MUCPP community clinic in Bloemfontein. The Provincial Manager of the SAHRC, Thabang Kheswa, stated they started with the two institutions because they have had complaints coming from the provincial office. They will over the week visit other institutions in the province, including the Manapo Hospital in Qwaqwa.

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Earlier this year, the provincial premier Sisi Ntombela established a programme - Operation Thoso - whereby she and her team make unannounced visits at various government institutions across the province to monitor service delivery. 

The Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Regional Hospital in Qwaqwa was one of the hospitals that she made an unannounced visit to, whereafter she was left shocked because of its state. They discovered that the nurses’ home is in a dire state, which necessitated that the students be moved to alternative accommodation.

It was further stated that construction will begin on 29 March 2022 at the nurses’ home as this would guarantee the safety of both workers and patients, as well as to ensure the cleanliness of the facility.

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Ntombela have previously stated that Pelonomi’s maternity ward will be completed by the end of the financial year 2023/24. Operations at the ward were badly affected after flooding due to leaking pipes. The incomplete maternity ward was previously blamed for the ongoing shortage of beds at the facility as there were only four theatre beds being shared between the surgical and maternity wards. It was revealed by the Health Minister, Joe Phaahla, that the contractor who was supposed to complete the ward has “terminated” his agreement with the hospital with the ward being 40% complete. The hospital recently had to deal with patients who described their frustration over delayed surgeries.

OFM News