MBOMBELA – The local municipality is watching the redevelopment of Rob Ferreira Hospital like a hawk. The provincial Department of Health has been in the process of revitalising its tertiary hospital for years. The additional constructions have, however, changed the traffic requirements around the compound and Mbombela is doing what it can to make sure these are met.
Ms Bessie Pienaar, communications officer at Mbombela Local Municipality (MLM), says only a temporary occupation certificate has been granted for the 10-storey doctor’s accommodation facility at the hospital and only for a limited time “to enable the municipality to have follow-up meetings with (the implementing agent) the department of public works to ensure that the outstanding issues are addressed to the satisfaction of the municipality”.
She explains that the building complies with the building plans in terms of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act. But since it forms part of various other developments on the property, the outstanding matters pertaining to the entire site need to be implemented before MLM can issue a final occupation certificate. These include the implementation of the traffic-impact assessment on the accesses to the property, upgrading of intersections and development of adequate parking facilities.
To meet the municipality’s requirements, health has budgeted R5 million for this financial year. Spokesman Mr Dumisani Malamule says the funds have been allocated as per the department’s annual performance plan. A further R48 million is planned to be spent in future, “depending on the assessment and detail designs to be produced”. He says a waste-compaction unit to handle the refuse generated by the facility and fire-escape stairs have already been installed as required.
“The department is busy planning access roads, the widening of various access points, the relocation of the gate to 60 metres away from the existing traffic light in Piet Retief Street and the provision of parking spaces in terms of the parking ration.
“The completion date will be determined by the outcomes of the planning exercise by infrastructure planning on the work to be done,” he concludes.
