Limpopo Premier Chupu Stanley Mathabatha hands over the 25 hectares to ENZA construction to construct the Central Academic Hospital as of June 2023

The Premier of Limpopo, Mr Chupu Stanely Mathabatha together with MEC for Department of Health Dr Phophi Ramathuba have today handed over the 25 hectares of land donated by the Polokwane Municipality to ENZA construction company that will construct the 4.4 billion US dollar Medical School and Provincial Central Academic Hospital around the Peter Mokaba stadium vicinity.

The construction of the hospital is funded by the National Department of Health on behalf of the Limpopo Department of Health.

The technical handover follows fifteen years year on year pronouncement during his State of The Province Address (SOPA) since he became the premier.

“I don’t have words to express how I feel about this. Since I became the premier, I have made it known since the days of former president Jacob Zuma and Cryil Ramaphosa that we must construct an academic hospital. It is indeed a dream for the province and the SADC region based on our strategic location” said Mathabatha

The hospital will be built in phases allowing the provincial government to monitor progress to ensure that it is completed on time.

This multi-billion project will improve the health care system in the province with the inclusion of solar usage addressing the current rolling black outs that affect operations at all health institutions. The first phase of the construction will commence on the first week of June 2023 and will see the hospital operating with 488 beds which will be increased to 688 bed capacity once the project is completed.

The province currently sends patients to Steve Biko Academic hospital in Pretoria for other medical procedures but the completion of the Limpopo Central Academic Hospital will attract more specialist to work in the province and reduce working pressure at the other institutions in the country.

The hospital is expected to have direct and indirect benefits for the locals such as job creation and saving on trips that were forced to be undertaken to provinces such as Gauteng to seek specialists

The hospital will render services such as oncology, gynecology, neonatal, paediatric and cardiac amongst others creating more than 1 000 part time and about 2 000 full time jobs.

The officially SOD turning is expected to take place in the next three weeks where Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla will be present.

By: Emmaculate Cindi