The Free State's MEC for Health Mathabo Leeto says she will only be certain of when the ward will be completed after she has done her own assessment as she is still new in office.

Leeto assumed the position of MEC for health on 14 March 2023.

In order for her to do a proper assessment, she has to be in possession of different reports which will give her answers to what has happened and what still needs to happen. 

Leeto acknowledges that the construction of the maternity ward needs to be completed as soon as possible because it is essential that each hospital has its own proper maternity ward. 

ALSO READ: Maternity ward at Pelonomi to be completed in new financial year

The renovation of Pelonomi’s maternity ward was included in the list of healthcare facilities which will be renovated in the current financial year. Former Premier Sisi Ntombela previously said the maternity ward would be fully renovated by the end of the 2023/24 financial year. 

Her successor Mxolisi Dukwana said there are several healthcare facilities that are being renovated alongside Pelonomi Hospital’s maternity ward, namely the Bongani Hospital's nursing school in Welkom, the Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli nursing school in QwaQwa and an orthopaedic unit at the Albert Nzula Hospital in Trompsburg.

ALSO READ: Deadline for Pelonomi's maternity ward set

The maternity ward which has been under construction at the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein for almost a decade, is set to be completed within 18 months from July 2022. 

The chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) Bongani Majola told OFM News that they were informed during their oversight visit to determine the Free State’s state of healthcare, that the province's foremost trauma hospital, the Pelonomi Hospital, will have a completed maternity ward as the reconstruction has resumed. 

Majola explained that the resumption of the reconstruction comes after a legal battle in court between the department and the previous contractor who had failed to complete the ward.

“When the department tried to refurbish the hospital, the contractor that was appointed could not do the job at the standard that was expected,” explained Majola. He further explained that the battle between the department and the contractor took over five years. 

Minister of Health Joe Phaahla previously replied to a written question revealing that the maternity ward’s reconstruction will take 14 months from March 2022. Phaahla’s reply to Freedom Front Plus’ Philippus Adriaan van Staden also revealed that the contractor, who was previously appointed to reconstruct the maternity ward, “terminated” his contract with the hospital while the project was 40% completed. 

An enquiry has been sent to the department to establish whether the contractor mentioned by Majola is the same as mentioned by Phaahla.

ALSO READ: Health MEC vows to deal with incompetent contractors – VIDEO

Furthermore, Leeto vowed to deal with non-performing and incompetent contractors or service providers. She said she is not going to tolerate the appointment of incompetent contractors who do not complete the projects timeously. 

She added incomplete projects by these contractors negatively impact the image of the department. 

Leeto said her department has allocated over R700 million to the development of infrastructure across its many health facilities in the province. Her statement comes as the Boitumelo Hospital in Kroonstad has been under construction since 2003 with the project envisaged to end back in 2012. 

However, to date, it has not been completed. It's alleged that five different contractors were brought to work on the project but all failed despite being paid millions of rands.

OFM News