Radie Kotze Hospital, Piketberg, Transferred to Province's Portfolio

Western Cape Health Minister, Theuns Botha, today welcomed the health care workers at Piketberg's Radie Kotze Hospital as employees of the provincial Department of Health.

The ceremony concluded a lengthy process and established the hospital as one of the Level 1 District Hospitals in the West Coast District.

In 1940, the Piketberg community applied to the Provincial Government for the construction of a provincial hospital. The community commenced with the acquisition of the necessary funding once the application was approved. An erf was obtained from the Piketberg Dutch Reformed Church and the request for the building of a clinic with a maternity unit was approved and erected by the provincial government.

A provincial hospital was built for the Porterville community in 1968, which was a great setback for the Piketberg community, hoping for a hospital in Piketberg. The hospital committee then approached Dr. Lapa Munnik, who subsequently approved a subsidised hospital, for which the Provincial Government contributed ninety percent (90%) of the operational costs and the committee five percent (5%) towards the building and furniture.

In the late 1970's the hospital committee acquired funding and sponsorships from various sources - local government, district council and even the estate of the late Mr. Apie Liebenberg of Piketberg. The clinic was sold and eventually the building of the hospital was approved by Dr. Radie Kotzé, the then Minister of Health in the Western Cape. The new hospital was built and inaugurated on 20 November 1987.

In 2002 a private section was added to the hospital.

In 2009, Minister Botha signed the application that the hospital is transferred from West Coast District to the Western Cape Department of Health. Mrs. Carien Bester, Director: West Coast District was appointed as the project leader. In the past year, with the hospital board, she facilitated the transfer of the necessary financial, human resources, information and other systems and processes. All staff members were transferred onto the provincial structure with entrance from 1 July 2010. The private section will be managed separately from the Provincial Hospital.

Issued by:
Theuns Botha
Western Cape Minister for Health