For Klipfontein View residents, the sight of construction machinery arriving to build their long-awaited wellness centre brought hope that they would finally have healthcare services closer to home.

Years after construction began, however, that excitement has turned into frustration as the facility remains incomplete, leaving residents questioning when they will finally receive the services they fought for.

Residents said the community had been advocating for a clinic for more than 25 years, raising the need at integrated development plan meetings and other municipal engagements before the project eventually got underway. Initial planning and construction reportedly began around 2020, initially expected to reach completion in April 2022, but after delays and another procurement process, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) officially broke ground again in January 2024.

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Construction, however, was subsequently suspended at approximately 60% completion, leaving the building standing unfinished.
Klipfontein View resident and former project steering committee member Masego Ntsie said residents were excited when construction started. “We were happy that finally we were going to have access to health services just around the corner, but, unfortunately, as you can see, the building is about to get rotten.”

She said elderly residents continued travelling to clinics in Mayibuye, Rabie Ridge and Midrand, while a mobile clinic operating in the area offered limited services. “If I get injured and break a bone now, the mobile clinic will not be able to service me. We must call an ambulance, but that ambulance, here in Klipfontein, takes hours to get here.” Ntsie added that the community had repeatedly approached municipal offices, seeking clarity on the project’s progress.

Also read: Woman gives birth outside Rabie Ridge Clinic

Community leader Tapelo Nkoane said residents could not allow municipal projects to become abandoned structures without challenging those responsible. “We cannot have projects being turned into white elephants while we watch. Imagine a 24-hour clinic that was supposed to save our people being left in such conditions.”

The JDA, which is implementing the project on behalf of the City of Johannesburg’s department of social development, confirmed construction had been suspended at approximately 60% completion. Spokesperson Kenneth Nxumalo said work was halted because of budgetary constraints during the 2025/26 financial year. The appointed contractor remains currently off site, and work remains suspended, pending the finalisation of funding arrangements and related implementation considerations.

Nxumalo said roofing, finishes, windows, paving, ramps and electrical and mechanical installations had progressed substantially before work stopped.

In August 2026, the JDA issued an expression of interest, inviting private developers, consortia and funders to submit proposals for a mixed-use development and long-term lease to help fund and complete the project. “The JDA is not yet able to confirm a revised practical completion date,” Nxumalo said. “The resumption of construction and a revised project programme depend on confirmation of the necessary funding allocations and the contractor’s subsequent return to site.

“The JDA continues to engage with the City of Johannesburg and relevant stakeholders to identify ways to address the outstanding funding requirements and enable construction to resume.”

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