New military hospital proposal sparks outrage after R1 billion refurbishment failure

1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane has consumed more than R1 billion in refurbishment costs over two decades, yet large sections remain incomplete as government considers building a new military hospital.

1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane has consumed more than R1 billion in refurbishment costs over two decades, yet large sections remain incomplete as government considers building a new military hospital.

After more than R1 billion was spent trying to rescue South Africa's flagship military hospital, the government is now considering building a new one.

The proposal has ignited outrage in Parliament, where MPs are demanding answers over how billions of rand were spent on the refurbishment of 1 Military Hospital in ThabaTshwane while large sections of the facility remain incomplete more than two decades later.

Even more troubling are allegations that forensic investigations uncovered corruption, tender irregularities, and wasteful expenditure, yet years later nobody has been held accountable.

Now, after decades of delays and repeated promises, the hospital once regarded as one of the finest military healthcare facilities on the continent remains unable to provide the full range of specialised services expected of a Level 4 military referral hospital.

For many MPs, the question is simple: if more than R1 billion could not fix the existing hospital, why should taxpayers fund another one?

The controversy erupted after the Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DODMV) informed Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) that it was reconsidering the long-running Repair and Maintenance Programme (RAMP) and exploring the possibility of constructing a completely new military hospital.

The committee was briefed by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) on June 12.

Committee co-chairperson Phiroane Phala said members were deeply concerned that despite substantial public investment, the refurbishment project remained unfinished.

"While we appreciate the rationale behind reassessing the project, it is deeply concerning that more than R1 billion has already been invested in the repair and maintenance programme without the work ever being completed," said Phala.

The troubled project dates back more than two decades.

The refurbishment programme was initiated following a parliamentary oversight visit in 2005, with construction work beginning in 2006. However, the problems stretch back even further.

The renovation project, initially estimated to cost R232 million, has been plagued by delays, redesigns, escalating costs and allegations of mismanagement. By March 2011 alone, more than R431 million had already been spent while critical areas of the hospital remained unfinished.

Last year, Defence Minister Angie Motshekga described the situation at 1 Military Hospital as "deeply unfortunate" and "chaotic", attributing the failures to successive administrations.

Her description reflects the unchanged conditions at the facility.

1 Military Hospital in Thaba Tshwane.

Democratic Alliance spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans Chris Hattingh said Parliament cannot allow the government to move on without first accounting for what happened to the money already spent.

"The Democratic Alliance is deeply concerned by revelations that the government is considering constructing a new military hospital despite having spent more than two decades and over R1 billion attempting to restore 1 Military Hospital.

"We will insist on a full accounting of every rand spent since 2005, a detailed comparison between completing the existing hospital and constructing a new facility, and comprehensive accountability for those responsible for two decades of failure."

Hattingh said the biggest price has not been paid in rands and cents.

Instead, it has been paid by soldiers, veterans and their families who have watched one of the country's most important military healthcare facilities slowly deteriorate.

"Twenty-one years later, South Africa's premier military hospital remains a construction site and cannot provide the full range of services expected of a strategic military healthcare facility.

"The real tragedy is the impact on serving soldiers, military veterans and their dependants, who have been forced to endure reduced healthcare services as a result of years of indecision, poor project management, weak oversight, and apparent failures of accountability."

According to Hattingh, specialist services that should have been available within the military healthcare system have increasingly been outsourced to private providers, laboratories, pharmacies, and specialists.

Economic Freedom Fighters MP Carl Niehaus, who serves on both the JSCD and Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, delivered an even harsher assessment.

Speaking to The Star , Niehaus described the project as a "national scandal" and accused senior officials in the Depa…