EXCLUSIVE: Behind the curtain at Charlotte Maxeke hospital
Nearly a year after a devastating fire ripped through Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Joburg, the pace of repair is still painfully slow
Walls are black with soot; some floors are propped up to prevent them from collapsing; leaks have flooded some wards, damaging electrical boards and lifts; and a major water pipe needs fixing. Staff and patients speak of frustration at the slow pace of repair at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in Parktown.The Gauteng department of health confirmed the leaks and flooding, but Kwara Kekana, a spokesperson for Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi, says the infrastructure & development department is now responsible for repairs of the leaks.The FM was given an unofficial tour to see the damage wrought by a runaway fire that broke out on the night of April 16 last year. The imposing hospital, which was opened in November 1979 and is meant to serve thousands of patients, is now decrepit.It is a crucial health facility, and one of its critical roles is dealing with complicated trauma patients. Today, the building itself is in a state of stress.The Solidarity Fund, set up t...
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