Repairs to crumbling clinic delayed

A dilapidated three-roomed house used as the Haytor clinic is in a terrible state. A project to renovate the building was halted for a while because the Eastern Cape Department of Health did not pay the contractor. Photos: Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

• Haytor Clinic in Whittlesea near Komani is currently in a terrible state.
• The property, built in 1976, has three rooms, so there’s barely any privacy for nurses to conduct tests or counsel patients. This usually happens in the waiting area in front of other patients.
• A R9-million tender was awarded to a contractor last year to renovate the existing clinic, build three new structures and ablutions.
• But the project is currently on hold because, among other reasons, the department failed to pay the contractor.

A dilapidated three-roomed house is where patients attending Haytor Clinic in Whittlesea near Komani have to receive medical treatment. The property, built in 1976, has a leaking roof and when it rains, patients have to jump over puddles of water.

Because the clinic has three rooms, there’s barely any privacy where nurses can conduct tests or counsel patients on their treatment. These usually happen in the waiting area in front of other patients.

In mid-2024, the Eastern Cape Department of Public Works and Infrastructure awarded a R9-million tender to a contractor to renovate the existing clinic, build three new structures and ablutions.

Nearly a year later, the project remains incomplete. Residents and staff say the contractor left the site in May. But returned two days after we visited the site.

When we visited the site last month, no workers were there. While the roof on a section of the building had been removed for repairs, it had not been replaced. There was a lot of rubble and building material left unattended at the site.

Provincial health spokesperson Siyanda Manana said the project was meant to be completed by June. He said there were major delays due to late payments to the contractor and weather challenges. He did not explain the reason for the delay.

The project has been halted for more than a month to allow the department time to make payment, confirmed Manana. Work at the site has since started again.

The clinic serves about a thousand people from three villages.

Zwelinzima Ntlabezi, who works as a caretaker at the clinic, said that when it rains, he has to run to the clinic to cover patient files and medication.

He said the roof of the old nurse’s house was destroyed by a storm years ago. “The consultation rooms are very small. We have a doctor that always complains about the space because she only has a small corner to treat people,” said Ntlabezi.

Patient Busisiwe Mlandeli complained that her tests were done in front of other patients. “At least when it’s not cold we wait outside,” she said.

Mlandeli said when the contractor was introduced to community members, they were told the project would be done within six months.

“This is very frustrating,” she said. “We really need this clinic because in this village there’s little network coverage, so we struggle to call for an ambulance when there’s an emergency.”

Ward 21 councillor Lazola Pukwana said department officials promised an end to the payment issues when the project resumes. “We are hoping that they will stick to that because the medication can’t stay covered with a sail.”

However, Manana disputes that the clinic’s medication and files are exposed to the elements. He said it is kept in steel cabinets.

The clinic, Manana said, will be completed in November.

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