Questions over R1b revamp of 1 Military Hospital
The construction started in 2006 under the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) until 2015 a request was made by the DOD to take over because Public Works was not honouring its contractual terms.
Concerns have been raised over the slow pace of the R1b revamp of the 1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane, Pretoria.
The parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Defence expressed its worries as escalating costs due to construction and outsourcing continued to hamper the progress of the revamp.
Committee co-chairperson Cyril Xaba said they were particularly worried about the seemingly never-ending repair and maintenance programme of the hospital’s first floor.
“Our concerns are based on the cost implications (estimated at over R1-billion already) as well as the cost of medical outsourcing, which are depleting an already-constrained budget,” Xaba said.
“The stalled programme, commissioned in 2006, has resulted in 1 Military hospital losing its accreditation as a level 4 hospital by the African Union and United Nations to support external and international peace-keeping operations.”
The programme was expected to take just two years and five months to complete, according to Xaba.
“The committee was informed that between the 2016/17 and 2019/20 financial years, the department spent R138.7-million, R177.8-million, R130.3-million and R182.4-million respectively.
“This is very disquieting. What is concerning is that we can’t satisfactorily point to the value we have received from the expenditure so far.”
Committee co-chairperson Elleck Nchabeleng said: “We find it extremely problematic that the programme that started in 2005/2006 financial year had yet to be concluded.
“It seems that the project is turning into a cash cow with no end in sight, which negatively affects the fiscus.”
Nchabeleng said the committee welcomed the intention to use the defence works formation to finalise the project.
It, however, requested to be furnished with a forensic report commissioned by the former chief of the South African National Defence Force on the progress so far in implementing the report’s recommendations.
The committee also resolved to revisit the 1 Military hospital to get to the bottom of the matter and ensure accountability.
“This will include receiving a detailed breakdown of the expenditure thus far, consequence management against officials and companies involved in wrongdoing and a way forward.”
Earlier this year in June, the joint standing committee met virtually for a briefing on the repair and maintenance programme at the 1 Military Hospital by the Department of Defence.
The department said that the situation at the hospital had not improved, mainly because of issues inherited in 2015, which stemmed from when the department took over the project from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
COVID-19 Legacy project at 1 Military Hospital, unveiling of 7th floor by Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. The Defence Works Formation (DWF) has completed the upgrading of the 1 Military Hospital 7th floor to mitigate the challenges of COVID-19. #MODMV#sandf#SANDF pic.twitter.com/uzBRys0W90
— SA National Defence Force (@SANDF_ZA) October 20, 2020
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