Electrical repairs at the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg on the East Rand will cost about R18m, Gauteng MEC for human settlements & infrastructure development Lebogang Maile said on Tuesday.
The hospital was damaged by a gas tanker explosion on Saturday which killed 18 people and left scores injured, including hospital staff and patients. The tanker exploded about 100m from the hospital after becoming wedged under a bridge.
Maile said the repairs relate to light fittings, cables, cable channels and other related electrical issues.
“We have already appointed contractors to do immediate things like windows and doors, in the process of appointing other contractors for other issues,” he said.
Maile provided a preliminary report on an investigation of the damage by the department of infrastructure development during a visit to the hospital.
He said potential risk areas have been identified and cordoned off, and everyone has been made aware.
“The MEC for health will make a determination working with the clinicians whether we will close the hospital or not. From the infrastructure point of view, we will be able to do our work even if patients are here because we always cordon off those areas that we are working on and proceed with the work. So we will be guided by the department of health.”
He said he was satisfied with the contractors' work so far.
“We are here, the contractors are on site. We have come here to see for ourselves that they are doing work and we are satisfied that they are. Some of the windows that are broken and the doors that were blown out by the explosion have been replaced, so we are on track.”
The casualty, emergency unit, theatre, X-ray and antenatal wards were affected, he said. Damage was limited to the roofs, ceilings, windows and doors.
They will prioritise areas to ensure patients don't suffer and that the hospital is able to continue providing services, he said, adding that the total cost of the damage had not yet been quantified.
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Electrical repairs at Tambo Memorial Hospital to cost about R18m: Maile
Image: Twitter/@LebogangMaile1
Electrical repairs at the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg on the East Rand will cost about R18m, Gauteng MEC for human settlements & infrastructure development Lebogang Maile said on Tuesday.
The hospital was damaged by a gas tanker explosion on Saturday which killed 18 people and left scores injured, including hospital staff and patients. The tanker exploded about 100m from the hospital after becoming wedged under a bridge.
Maile said the repairs relate to light fittings, cables, cable channels and other related electrical issues.
“We have already appointed contractors to do immediate things like windows and doors, in the process of appointing other contractors for other issues,” he said.
Maile provided a preliminary report on an investigation of the damage by the department of infrastructure development during a visit to the hospital.
He said potential risk areas have been identified and cordoned off, and everyone has been made aware.
“The MEC for health will make a determination working with the clinicians whether we will close the hospital or not. From the infrastructure point of view, we will be able to do our work even if patients are here because we always cordon off those areas that we are working on and proceed with the work. So we will be guided by the department of health.”
He said he was satisfied with the contractors' work so far.
“We are here, the contractors are on site. We have come here to see for ourselves that they are doing work and we are satisfied that they are. Some of the windows that are broken and the doors that were blown out by the explosion have been replaced, so we are on track.”
The casualty, emergency unit, theatre, X-ray and antenatal wards were affected, he said. Damage was limited to the roofs, ceilings, windows and doors.
They will prioritise areas to ensure patients don't suffer and that the hospital is able to continue providing services, he said, adding that the total cost of the damage had not yet been quantified.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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