Gcaleka seeks clarity on Charlotte Maxeke’s December handover target

Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka has pressed management at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital for clarity on whether a planned 2 December handover remains on course.

During an unannounced visit on Thursday, Gcaleka asked acting CEO Dr Zakhele Zitha whether the date in the construction implementation plan still stood, according to EWN’s reporting from the hospital.

Zitha said this was the date communicated to management, but acknowledged that the project had experienced challenges. He said the provincial authorities, as custodians of the work, were better placed to give an indication of the timetable.

The exchange did not produce a revised completion date or establish that the December target had changed.

The hospital’s reconstruction has been under scrutiny following the fire that damaged sections of the facility in April 2021. The Public Protector issued a report on delays to the reconstruction in May 2026.

Parliament’s health committee subsequently called for clear restoration milestones and regular updates from the Gauteng health and infrastructure departments. Its 26 May statement stressed the consequences of disrupted hospital services for people reliant on public healthcare.