A MULTI-MILLION rand health facility, which was meant for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, is still under construction - two years after the deadline.
The R108-million Tlhabane Health Centre in Rustenburg was supposed to open just in time for the soccer tournament, but a lack of funds have delayed the project.
Now hundreds of Tlhabane residents continue to queue daily at a small clinic while the new structure stands idle next door.
The authorities have blamed Eskom's failure to supply electricity, a limited budget and an extension of the project's scope for the delay in opening the facility.
North West health department spokesman Tebogo Lekgethwane said the project could not be completed on the set date because of a limited budget and an extension of the scope of the facility.
"The completion scope was revised to April 2011 but the supply of electricity by Eskom delayed things even further," Lekgethwane said.
Residents say the old Tlhabane clinic is strained since it has to cater for about 500 people a day. The clinic was built to cater for only 50 people.
When Sowetan visited the area this week many patients were braving the scorching heat outside the clinic, waiting for their turn.
"I have been waiting here since 7am and this queue has not moved since then," said Nokuthula Sibande, who had brought her child for immunisation.
Like hundreds of residents of Tlhabane, Sibande can't wait for the new health centre to open.
The Tlhabane Health Care Centre, which can accommodate as many as 200 patients, was built by Tau Pride. The company is owned by Lambert Lobelo, who insists he is not to blame for the delay.
"It is true that we were supposed to finish this project before the World Cup but the change in scope changed everything," Lobelo said.
He said the project was now completed and would be handed over as soon as Eskom supplied electricity.
Tau Pride is also project manager for all the department of health infrastructure projects. This has raised concern about Tau Pride being conflicted but the department has dismissed the claim.
Lobelo said they had an undertaking that the centre would have electricity on March 22 and would hand it over to the department soon after that.
R108m clinic stands idle
A MULTI-MILLION rand health facility, which was meant for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup, is still under construction - two years after the deadline.
The R108-million Tlhabane Health Centre in Rustenburg was supposed to open just in time for the soccer tournament, but a lack of funds have delayed the project.
Now hundreds of Tlhabane residents continue to queue daily at a small clinic while the new structure stands idle next door.
The authorities have blamed Eskom's failure to supply electricity, a limited budget and an extension of the project's scope for the delay in opening the facility.
North West health department spokesman Tebogo Lekgethwane said the project could not be completed on the set date because of a limited budget and an extension of the scope of the facility.
"The completion scope was revised to April 2011 but the supply of electricity by Eskom delayed things even further," Lekgethwane said.
Residents say the old Tlhabane clinic is strained since it has to cater for about 500 people a day. The clinic was built to cater for only 50 people.
When Sowetan visited the area this week many patients were braving the scorching heat outside the clinic, waiting for their turn.
"I have been waiting here since 7am and this queue has not moved since then," said Nokuthula Sibande, who had brought her child for immunisation.
Like hundreds of residents of Tlhabane, Sibande can't wait for the new health centre to open.
The Tlhabane Health Care Centre, which can accommodate as many as 200 patients, was built by Tau Pride. The company is owned by Lambert Lobelo, who insists he is not to blame for the delay.
"It is true that we were supposed to finish this project before the World Cup but the change in scope changed everything," Lobelo said.
He said the project was now completed and would be handed over as soon as Eskom supplied electricity.
Tau Pride is also project manager for all the department of health infrastructure projects. This has raised concern about Tau Pride being conflicted but the department has dismissed the claim.
Lobelo said they had an undertaking that the centre would have electricity on March 22 and would hand it over to the department soon after that.
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