New Ceres Community Day Centre to improve patient experience and access to healthcare in Witzenberg
Residents of Ceres and surrounding communities can look forward to a more comfortable healthcare experience following the official opening of the new Ceres Community Day Centre (CDC) by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde on Thursday, 12 November 2026.
The new facility, which welcomed its first patients on Monday, 9 November, will improve access to primary healthcare services while easing pressure on the neighbouring Bella Vista and Nduli clinics. The CDC is expected to serve approximately 2 600 patients a month, helping to distribute the growing demand for healthcare services more evenly across Witzenberg.
To establish the new CDC, the Western Cape Government acquired and refurbished the former Netcare Hospital at a cost of R53 million. The new facility builds on the services previously provided at Annie Brown Clinic, which has served the community well since its expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with the continued growth of Ceres and surrounding communities, the need for a larger facility was identified. The new centre offers more consultation space, multiple waiting areas, and a sheltered outdoor waiting area, providing a more comfortable and dignified experience for patients.
Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness Mireille Wenger said the investment was about improving how patients experience healthcare. "Every patient deserves to receive care in an environment where they feel comfortable, respected and supported. Annie Brown Clinic has served this community well, and this new facility allows us to build on that foundation as the demand for healthcare continues to grow.
"With more space for our healthcare teams to care for patients, and the phased introduction of additional services, we are strengthening primary healthcare across Witzenberg. By better distributing the demand for care, we can also improve the experience for patients at neighbouring clinics."
The CDC continues to offer acute and chronic care, pharmacy services, and men's, women’s, child, and youth health services. New dentistry, mental health and rehabilitation services, along with a transitional care unit, will be introduced in phases, expanding the range of care available to residents closer to home.
Among the first patients was Mrs Elmarie Anthony, who welcomed the improved facilities. "The CDC is a lot more comfortable, and I see here we have sheltered waiting area outside, so it will be nicer to come here in the winter."
Mrs Charmaine Jaffets shared her delight, saying "I am very excited. We did not expect this. We prayed for the CDC to open. I was warmly welcomed and I got some nice exercise walking here.”
Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers said the project demonstrated the value of making better use of existing infrastructure. "The Ceres CDC has been an important test case for how we can deliver quality infrastructure faster and more cost-effectively. Building a similar-sized facility from scratch would have cost an estimated R80 million to R90 million and taken around five years. By purchasing and refurbishing an existing building, we have delivered this facility for R53 million. This shows the potential of finding smarter ways to invest in infrastructure, ensuring that we make every rand count while bringing essential services to communities sooner.”
From 1 December, the NGO NorSA will take over full operations of the Annie Brown Clinic. The facility will continue providing community-based services, including family planning, HIV and TB screening, childhood immunisations and deworming, and opportunities for chronic medication collection. In the interim, preventative services will continue to be provided at the clinic such as infectious disease screening and testing, immunisation and pap smears.
Premier Alan Winde emphasised the importance of partnerships and investing in better patient care. "Healthcare is everyone's business. Government cannot meet the needs of more than seven million Western Cape residents alone. By making smarter use of our existing infrastructure and collaborating with partners like NorSA, we can strengthen services across our communities. This investment is about more than a new building. It is about giving our healthcare workers the space to do their jobs and ensuring that every patient is treated with the care and dignity they deserve."
If you need to get in touch with the CDC, please call them on their temporary number of 023 313 6101.
Media Queries:
Robyn Thomson
Media Liaison Officer for the Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness
Email: robyn.thomson@westerncape.gov.za