Duff Scott's 'licensing' questioned

The NW Health Department last week issued a letter saying it will grant a hundred bed licence to Stilfontein's revamped Duff Scott hospital - provided its' management comply with a check list within six months.

- 

This would entail laying in gas lines that enable theatre operations - at a cost of nearly R30 million which remains unaffordable to the hospital's shareholders. CEO Annisia Botha says the hospital could legitimately open its doors tomorrow to create the necessary cash flow - without theatres for the moment.

The former mine hospital, purchased, refurbished, rehabilitated and secured after being stripped by Zama-zamas, has been patient-ready for five years. However official red tape, delays and what some local politicians are saying are "very questionable motives," have prevented it opening its doors.

The newest shot-in-the-arm for Stilfontein is a R1,5 billion new investment by Harmony Gold, much acclaimed by local ruling politicians and Premier Lazarus Mokgosi. Harmony also committed to R2 billion investment in renewable energy.

"Through our R7 billion investment in 2022 we managed to preserve six thousand jobs for locals, extending the mine's lifespan by twenty years. In 2020, we acquired Mine Waste Solutions, leading to an investment of over R2 billion, and we have created close to 2,500 hundred jobs, 70% of which are locals," Nel said.

Yet a less confidence-instilling development is the appearance of five top former North-West provincial health department officials on Fraud and Tender charges on June 6 this year.