The Democratic Alliance’s Jack Bloom said the potential relocation of Sizwe Tropical Diseases Hospital smacks of “a dodgy deal to make money for developers who have political connections”.

Bloom made this suggestion on Wednesday after it emerged that “the future of the historic is uncertain” as “discussions were ongoing with the developers of a proposed massive new housing scheme in the area as well as with the Gauteng Department of Co-operative Government and Traditional Affairs (Cogta)”.

The DA’s health spokesperson said provincial health Qedani Mahlangu on Tuesday “admitted that Cogta had not consulted with her department when the contract was awarded in January 2012 to the Equisent Infrastructure Development consortium to develop the Rietfontein site which is bordered by Edenvale and the Johannesburg suburbs of Linksfield and Sandringham”.

“I am astonished that plans went ahead for a major development‚ including 8000 proposed residential units‚ with no consultation about the future of the hospital‚” Bloom said.

“Furthermore‚ there is huge controversy over heritage and environmental issues in this area‚ including graves where victims of anthrax and other diseases were buried.”

Adding to the confusion was that Mahlangu has previously said there were no plans to move Sizwe — money has been spent recently on renovating wards there‚ said Bloom — the developers have apparently told public meetings that the hospital is to be relocated to a site near Edenvale Hospital.

“The lack of consultation between provincial government departments adds to suspicions that this is a dodgy deal to make money for developers who have political connections‚ at the expense of local residents‚” Bloom said.

Bloom added that the “hospital building is a national monument that is over 100 years old” and it has “a colourful history”.

It also plays “a vital role in treating multi-drug resistant tuberculosis”‚ he said.