Hon Karabo Magagane conducted an unannounced oversight visit to Upper Majeakgoro Clinic, Ga Mothibi Community Health Centre, Taung In-Patient Centre, and Taung Old Age Home, all located within the Greater Taung Local Municipality.

On Wednesday, 12 February 2025, the North West Provincial Legislature Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development led by Hon Karabo Magagane conducted an unannounced oversight visit to Upper Majeakgoro Clinic, Ga Mothibi Community Health Centre, Taung In-Patient Centre, and Taung Old Age Home, all located within the Greater Taung Local Municipality.

The oversight visits formed part of the Oversight Week programme that the North West Legislature undertook on the 11-13 February 2025 with the aim to strengthen oversight and public participation while promoting accountability and transparency in government.
Upper Majeakgoro Clinic.

The committee began with the oversight visit at Upper Majeakgoro Clinic, where several infrastructural challenges were found that has left the clinic in a poor state such as dilapidated building with cracks walls built on a wrong foundation. The clinic has no ceiling in the rooms; however, the Operations Manager informed the committee that a contractor has begun with installation of ceilings in January 2025.

Other major challenges are that there is no electricity due to electrical wiring issues, and the building has no running water which impacts negatively on service delivery. The facility currently makes use of a JoJo tank, in which the staff are forced to draw buckets of water from. Additionally, there is no filing clerk in the front office. This function is sometimes performed by nurses, and when they are busy, they occasionally rely on the cleaning staff to retrieve patient files.

As a result of these operational challenges, the clinic failed the assessment required to obtain gold status.
The Chairperson, Hon. Karabo Magagane, informed stakeholders that the purpose of the visit was to assess the challenges faced by the clinic, as its primary role is to provide proper healthcare to the community and also check preparations in place for the rollout of the National Health Insurance (NHI).

Ga Mothibi Community Health Centre
The committee then proceeded to Ga Mothibi Community Health Centre where the facility was handed over by the Department of Public Works in 2022. The original budget for its construction was R130 million, but it escalated to R250 million due to various infrastructural defects, including leakages in water pipes, faulty electrical tubing, and poor panelling. An additional R50 million is required to bring the facility up to standard; however, this budget has been earmarked but not yet approved, pending the Adjustment Budget.

The contractor initially appointed for the project was removed but is now allegedly working on renovations at Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital under another consortium. As a result, the committee demanded a Forensic Report to investigate amongst others, the appointment of the contractor, penalties for incomplete project deliverables and the alleged re-appointment of the contractor for renovations at Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital.

The facility has a borehole installed, but the irrigation system remains unconnected, limiting access to water. The fire hose and extinguisher were last serviced in May 2024, creating a potential fire hazard. Additionally, many electrical wires are exposed, including those in the filing room, posing further risks.
Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) are handled through dispatch, which causes delays, particularly in areas with poor road access. Additionally, the Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution (CCMDD) program could function more efficiently if HPRS were operational. However, there is currently only one computer for data capturing, with no additional workstations available.

“Immediate action is needed to address these operational, safety, and financial concerns to ensure the facility provides efficient and safe healthcare services to the community,” said Hon Magagane

Taung In-Patient Treatment Centre
The Committee on Social Development continued to visit Taung In-Patient Treatment Centre, located inside Taung Hospital.
The institution was handed over to the Department of Social Development on 2 March 2018. However, since then, it has only been rendering an outpatient program, not the intended inpatient program.
The centre was established to provide patient reception, treatment, rehabilitation, and skills development for individuals with substance use disorders. Additionally, it offers advocacy services, counselling, therapeutic services, and referrals to hospitals for medical and psychiatric care.

The Committee noted that since the handover to the Department, the centre has not been fully functional due to amongst other challenges on acquiring an Occupancy certificate from the Greater Taung Local Municipality, shortage of staff at Supply Chain Management unit, Groundskeeping and a Social Worker supervisor, and lack of control over the facilities budget as it is centralised at provincial level.

Currently the department is still in the process of making payment through the Independent Development Trust (IDT) to obtain the occupancy certificate as required by national building regulations.
The committee made a commitment to formally request the department to finalise all outstanding issues to ensure that the centre becomes operational and contributes to preventing drug abuse in Taung.
The committee will also ensure that the Taung In-Patient Treatment Centre is included on the Annual Performance Plan of the department for the finalisation of all outstanding matters.

Taung Old Age Complex
The committee continued its oversight visit to the Taung Old Age Complex, which was established in accordance with the Older Persons Act No. 13 of 2006, Chapter 4, Sections 16-20, to provide care and protection for older persons.
The centre provides amongst others primary health care services, medical care, including doctor visits and physiotherapy, rehabilitation services, spiritual and religious programs.
The centre faces challenges of shortage of staff as the centre needs 24 assistant nurses and five professional nurses whereas currently it has 11 assistant nurses and one professional nurse. The shortage of critical staff compromises the quality of services provided to clients and delays the admission of frail older persons. Additionally, procurement delays due to the lack of SCM personnel, there is no backup power during electricity outages, and some rooms do not have access to hot water.

It was also noted that older persons social grant is automatically discontinued and directed to the institution when an older person is admitted into the facility, which then takes full financial responsibility of those admitted.
The Chairperson of the Committee requested the Centre Manager to review the amendments of the Older Persons Bill, which state that only a certain percentage of the grant should be allocated to the institution, leaving the individual with a portion of their grant.

Additionally, the Chairperson stated that the committee would meet with the Department of Social Development to discuss the procurement of outstanding equipment, such as wheelchairs, walking sticks, shower chairs, and the installation of proper showers and beds, which are necessary for the institution to function optimally.
The committee will also engage with the department to determine whether the vacant positions at the centre are funded or budgeted for. If they are, the committee will urge the department to begin the recruitment process to fill the vacancies and enable the facility to operate at full capacity.

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