Historic District Six to receive new community health facility

Joint Statement by Ministers Dr Nomafrench Mbombo and Mr Donald Grant

Western Cape Ministry of Health and Western Cape Ministry of Transport and Public Works

This morning, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, Western Cape Minister of Health and Donald Grant, Minister of Transport and Public Works visited the construction site of the new R104 million District Six Community Health Centre.

Construction of this state-of-the art facility is expected to have been completed by January 2017. The project has been commissioned by the Department of Transport and Public Works for the provincial Department of Health.

This new facility will replace two other service delivery sites: the Woodstock and Robbie Nurock Community Day Centres (CDCs). Once the District Six centre starts to operate, it will provide comprehensive primary health services for approximately 90 000 mainly low- or no-income people from Woodstock, Salt River, Vredehoek and central Cape Town, including the beneficiaries of the District Six re-development.

“I am pleased by the progress made in the construction of the facility to date. I look forward to finally opening the doors of this facility, particularly in an area that holds such significance in the history of this city and the nation. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of forced removals from District Six. The progress on this facility is an important milestone in the redevelopment of the community,” she added.

“The Western Cape Government is committed to delivering quality health services to the people of this province. Modernising and maintaining our health infrastructure is central to delivering on that commitment. When our infrastructure is fit-for-purpose, we are able to provide the quality patient-centred care which the people of this province rely on,” said Dr Mbombo.

Once it is complete, the centre will provide:

• Child health services,
• Women's healthcare (including antenatal and post-natal care),
• Treatment of tuberculosis (TB) with directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS),
• Treatment of HIV/ AIDS with anti-retrovirals (ARVs),
• Treatment of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs),
• Medical male circumcision (MMC),
• Curative and preventative oral health services,
• Dietetic services,
• Radiography services, and
• Dispensing of medicine for chronic conditions.

The design incorporates a number of green features, including energy-saving lights and motion sensors that switch off lights that are not needed. Natural ventilation and lighting will supplement mechanical ventilation and electric lighting. Rainwater will be harvested to flush toilets and to supplement the supply of water for fire-fighting. These features help to give effect to the Western Cape Government’s 110% Green initiative.

“Most of the buildings will comprise a framed concrete structure and a mixture of face brick and painted infill walls, as well as metal roof sheeting on steel trusses. Because of space constraints, the centre is a multi-storey building with basement parking. It features a terraced court and roof garden as an interface to a heritage building on the site,” said Minister Grant.

“My Department remains committed to providing Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) work opportunities and to developing emerging contractor businesses in its undertakings. All targets for labour in the Phase 1 contract (demolition and clearing) were met, R8 million was spent on targeted enterprises, and 84 EPWP beneficiaries received technical training,” he added.