Fire and rat infestation risks loom at old Middelburg Hospital
Calls mount to sell the abandoned provincial hospital to private developers.
The old provincial hospital is so overgrown that it poses a fire hazard.
Rudolph Uys of the Greater Middelburg Fire Protection Association went to investigate the disrepair at the hospital at the request of the Observer.
Uys said the hospital grounds are so overgrown that it is not only a fire hazard, but there could be a rat infestation again.
A few years ago, there was a rat plague, especially in the area of the forensic department.
Roofs are rusting, a carport has collapsed, there are piles of rubbish, the grass is waist-high, and the buildings are weathered.
Most of the structures appear to be beyond repair.
Impact on neighbouring properties
The hospital is not only in the Clubville neighbourhood but right next to a neat centre that houses a restaurant and Middelburg’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Department of Health has not yet responded to enquiries sent days ago regarding the condition of the property.
Calls for redevelopment
Councillor Elsie Vermooten said the dilapidated hospital is a major problem in her ward.
According to her, the solution would be to sell the hospital to a private developer to use as a school or for elderly care, which is a great need in Middelburg.
Just eight months ago, the hospital closed its doors, and the King Nyabela Hospital opened.
If urgent action is not taken, Clubville in particular will not only be left with rats, snakes and homeless people occupying the buildings, but also with a situation that will negatively affect the value of their property.
