The Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Health and Social Development cut short his oversight visit to the newly built Florida Clinic due to infrastructure challenges at the facility.
Cllr Ashley Sauls I, who went on a thorough inspection of the primary healthcare facility on Monday, 14 March said although he was impressed with the staff at the clinic, the infrastructure left much to be desired.
Cllr Sauls I said truth and transparency are important. “I won’t pretend we’re happy and excited about this project,” he said.
The clinic opened its doors on Tuesday, 1 March. From a design perspective, the project was a success as the end-user requirements were met. Unfortunately, the planning and construction stages cannot be considered to have been a success, said the MMC.
The registration of the consolidated property could not be undertaken successfully due to the inability of the conveyors to undertake the task. Practical completion of the project was achieved on Friday, 11 June last year, whereas the planned practical completion date was Saturday, 25 January 2020.
The main challenge experienced was related to statutory approvals. The site development plan and building plans have yet to be approved, but the JDA is engaging with the City’s Development Planning department to speed this up.
Cllr Sauls I has allowed the JDA to fix the snag list and submit the bill of quantities to his office, thereafter, he’ll return to the clinic for another inspection.
“We can do better,” said Cllr Sauls I, who was sworn in as MMC in February. He added that the facility should be brought up to par with the term “state of the art”.
The MMC has hit the ground running since his appointment to the portfolio. “We don’t have the luxury of sitting back and taking a back seat. We need to work. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
He said, as the heart of the City’s service delivery engine, his department needed to be brought back to life.
“We should take more pride in what we do. We should build not just for ourselves but for our children and their children’s children. And if we have that view, we will build quality things. We should bring the heart back into service, especially in this field of health. Hopefully, we’ll achieve that within our tenure to restore the heart of service,” said Cllr Sauls I.
The Florida Clinic was constructed at an estimated cost of R43-million rand (excluding professional team and JDA fees) and consists of 18 consulting rooms. Services rendered at the clinic include but are not limited to, emergency services, women’s health, child health, management of acute illnesses and chronic conditions, as well as Covid-19 screening. The facility operates weekdays between 7a.m. and 4p.m.
Ward Councillor for the area, Cllr Caleb Finn said he appreciates the oversight visit from the MMC since it helps solve potential issues. Cllr Finn urges locals to make use of services at the facility.
Written by Brümilda Swartbooi
14/03/2022