Central SA
Ditsobotla service delivery woes impact healthcare system─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 05:00 Thu, 09 Jan 2025
The ongoing inability of the troubled Ditsobotla Municipality in North West to deliver essential services continues to have devastating effects on basic infrastructure, including healthcare facilities.
During a visit to General De La Rey Hospital in Lichtenburg on Tuesday (7/1), Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi, accompanied by North West Health MEC Sello Lehari and senior officials, expressed deep concern over the critical service delivery shortcomings.
The hospital was temporarily closed after the municipality’s stormwater drainage system couldn’t cope with heavy downpours.
The flooding, caused by what Motswaledi described as 10% of the town’s annual rainfall in a single day, forced the evacuation of 33 patients to nearby healthcare facilities this past weekend. Motsoaledi described the scene as “a river running through the hospital” as water reached knee-deep levels at the entrance and ankle-deep in some wards.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi inspecting the storm water system at General De La Rey hospital in Litchtenburg, North West after flooding. Photo: Facebook
General De la Rey’s services are being provided through three local clinics, which have been reinforced with additional medical staff to manage the increased patient load.
Moses Kotane District Hospital near Sun City experienced flooding in its maternity ward. Quick interventions by the department’s maintenance team redirected the flood waters, allowing operations to resume within two hours.
Motswaledi said minor roof leaks were reported at other healthcare facilities, though no patient relocations were required.
Motswaledi pointed to Ditsobotla’s dysfunctional governance as a key factor exacerbating the crisis. Plagued by financial mismanagement and a complete collapse of basic services, the municipality has been scrutinized for years.
In 2023, Ditsobotla Mayor Boitumelo Lethoko revealed to the North West Legislature Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts that the municipality had a zero balance in its bank account, leaving it unable even to provide necessities like toilet paper.
“Had the stormwater drainage system been functional, the flooding of the hospital could have been avoided,” Motsoaledi lamented.
Motsoaledi emphasised the need to prepare for the growing impacts of climate change, which are likely to bring unprecedented rainfall and weather events. He called for immediate improvements to stormwater systems and other critical infrastructure to prevent similar incidents in the future.
