Middelburg — Patients, taxi operators and residents travelling to the newly built King Nyabela Hospital in Steve Tshwete Municipality are still using a rough, dusty access road months after the facility became operational. This is after the provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport extended its completion deadline.
The road project was originally scheduled for completion by 19 December 2025, the deadline for the road has now been pushed to February 2026. This delay means that motorists, taxi drivers and pedestrians must navigate a damaged gravel road that runs through an open field behind the Middelburg Mall, raising concerns about vehicle damage, dust and access to healthcare services.
“I don't understand why these delays because we are struggling driving here,” said a taxi driver known as Sphola. “We have to replace ball joints now and then because of this road, can they [government] please help us.”
The hospital was officially handed over to the Department of Health before the access road was completed. The relocation from the old hospital to the new facility began on 30 October 2025, and by 19 November 2025, all services had moved and were fully operational at the new hospital.
During a previous engagement, the department said the R9,6 million project started in May last year and it was supposed to be built by the Steve Tshwete Municipality. “When the request was made to the province in 2024, the budget could only be available in the current financial year 2025/26, after the hospital was built,” said department spokesperson Bongani Dhlamini at the time.
After the original completion date passed, Highveld Chronicle decided to reach out for clarity on delay. Dhlamini said, “The asphalt surfacing subcontractor closed on the 12th of December (construction holidays) so surfacing had to wait for them to come back,” he said. “We anticipate completion in February, the contractor needs 2 weeks to repair rain damages and 1 week for surfacing, if weather permits.”
