The looting of Charlotte Maxeke hospital
Copper piping worth R30m was looted from Charlotte Maxeke hospital while it stood empty after the fire in April
Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Joburg, which was closed after being gutted by fire in April, has now been looted of copper piping worth R30m.This emerged last week as pressure from health activists, doctors and professors forced the Gauteng health department to open the radiology department to address the backlog of cancer patients needing treatment.A source close to the hospital, who does not want to be identified, tells the FM the theft of the piping means that some parts of the hospital are without hot water. "Replacing the pipes is an added cost on top of all the other expenses in reopening the hospital," the source says. "It is another hurdle."During the phased reopening staff also discovered that televisions in the paediatric oncology wards, used to entertain sick children, had been stolen, as had a microwave oven used by staff. All the areas where thefts occurred were being guarded by security staff, several sources say.This looting is yet another episode in the mismanagement o...
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