Premier of Limpopo Stanley Mathabatha on Monday handed over the 25 hectares of land donated for the construction of the Limpopo Central Academic Hospital. The land, donated by the Polokwane Municipality, was handed to the contractor, ENZA Construction, at a small ceremony.
It is situated on Webster Street, Polokwane, adjacent to EDUPARK. Bordering similar land donated to the University of Limpopo for the construction of the School of Medicine that will link to the academic hospital.
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A DREAM COME TRUE FOR PREMIER STANLEY MATHABATHA
The technical handover follows years of planning and pronouncements during the State of the Province Address (SOPA) by the Premier.
“Since I became Premier I made it known to the former President Zuma and the sitting President, Mr Matamela Ramaphosa, that Limpopo needs an academic hospital,” said Mathabatha.
“It is indeed a dream for the province. The SADC region based on our strategic location that today we are here to signal the beginning of this great work.
NEW CENTRAL ACADEMIC HOSPITAL
It is said the project is expected to generate 1,220 part-time jobs during the construction phase. 2,461 full-time equivalent jobs in Polokwane and surrounding areas, once the hospital is fully operational.
“After this process of handover, we shall, together with the Minister of Health, make a determination on when to officially hold a more elaborate sod-turning ceremony.
“This decision is typically made once site establishment has been achieved. We are glad to report that the schedule agreed upon will see this site established by the end of June 2023.
The hospital will be built in phases. This will allow the provincial government to monitor progress to ensure that it is completed on time.
The multi-billion rand project will include solar usage addressing the current rolling blackouts. The first phase of the construction will commence in the first week of June 2023/
It will see the hospital operating with 488 beds. They 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.
The hospital will render services such as oncology, gynaecology, neonatal, paediatric and cardiac, among others.
