Heavy Rains Flood North West Hospitals, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi Visits Area After Patients Are Evacuated
- Dr Aaron Motsoledi visited the General De La Rey Hospital in the North West following severe flooding at the facility
- 33 patients had to be transferred to other medical facilities after the heavy rains wreaked havoc at the facility
- South Africans took to social media to blame the government and the infrastructure for the problems
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NORTHWEST—Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has visited the General De La Rey Hospital in Lichtenburg following severe flooding there.
Heavy rains in the North West province wreaked havoc on a few hospitals, forcing officials to move patients to other facilities.
On 2 January 2025, the South African Weather Service warned that heavy rains would affect large parts of the country.
Patients evacuated from flooded hospital
The Minister of Health visited the hospital on Tuesday, 7 January 2025, to assess the severity of the damage along with North West MEC of Health, Sello Lehari.
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Lehari, who visited the facility on 6 January, stated that the problem arose when the stormwater system failed to channel water away from the hospital.
Thirty-three patients were moved to nearby hospitals after the facility flooded.
“Many departments were affected, but what is good about the management of this hospital is that they removed those patients. There were 33 patients, and the maternity ward was also affected,” Lehari said during his visit to the facility. The hospital has since been closed for maintenance.
Motsoaledi gives his diagnosis
During his visit, the Minister noted the amount of rainfall the Lichtenburg area received.
“Lichtenburg got 10% of its annual rainfall in one day.”
He added that because the drainage system was not working, the water flowed like a river into the hospital and was even ankle-deep in the theatre area.
He further explained that the hospital was built in 1941, but plans for a major renovation were at the head office waiting to be approved.
Moses Kotane Hospital also affected
The General De La Rey Hospital is not the only healthcare facility affected by flooding. North West Health Department Spokesperson Tshegofatso Mothibedi confirmed to Briefly News that the Zeerust Hospital and Moses Kotane Hospital experienced flooding a week ago.
He added that only two wards were affected, and the situation was addressed the same day. No injuries or evacuation of any patients were needed in those cases.
The North West province is not the only one where hospitals have suffered as a result of the weather. On 12 November 2024, a hospital in Pietermaritzburg suffered damage as a result of heavy rains.
Social media blames ANC and poor infrastructure
South Africans weighed in on the flooding, with many blaming the government and the infrastructure for the problems.
Irma Van Deventer said:
“Storm drains became rubbish bins. The problem is the infrastructure.”
Antoinette Keyser added:
“The ANC is stuffing up this country very fast.”
Wessel Redelinghuys noted:
“All I can say is that we are experiencing excessive rain, probably nearing 30-to-50-year flood levels. No storm drain system can cope with that. Think before you post.”
Kopi Kopano said:
“It was long overdue. That is not a hospital but an old, old, old ghost building.”
@Mtshali_GL added:
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Until we change the leadership, this is going to be a norm. Flooding is the new thing our government is failing citizens with.”
2 killed in localised flooding
In a related article, two people lost their lives during the heavy rainfall in Tshwane on 20 December 2024.
Briefly News reported that one of the victims was a motorist, while the other was a cyclist.
Both were swept off a bridge into a river as a result of heavy flooding that hit the area.
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Source: Briefly News
