The MEC for Roads and Public Works, Mr Dawid Rooi recently announced that the new Mental Hospital in Kimberley will be completed soon. "The project is currently 71 percent complete and it is our intention to complete the project", said the MEC at a press briefing held in Kimberley, Frances Baard region on Monday, 15 August 2011.
The process to build the new mental hospital in Kimberley started in September 2005 to appoint a contractor. Vista Park/JOH Arch Investment JV was appointed as the main contractor and took over the site in February 2006. The original contract completion period was for 24 months. The project was not completed on time and the contractor was given an extension until March 2008.
At this time it became clear that the contractor was struggling to keep up to the agreed completion period. It was also clear that the contractor quotation was 15% below estimate. The contractor then revised the completion period to December 2009. At this stage we had indicated our dissatisfaction about the slow pace of development in this project. As a department we were very much concerned and indicated our intention to terminate the contract with Vista.The contract was terminated in December 2009 and the matter was finalised in court. As it stand now we do not have any contract with Vista Park Developers/ JOH Arch Investments JV. We have taken over the site since then and we are in charge of the project.
There is security on site but we are disappointed at reports of theft at the project. We are currently beefing up security and dealing with elements of criminality on site.
The project is 71 percent complete and it’s our intention to complete the project. The reason for us to build a mental hospital is to improve our health services and improves the life of our people. The Northern Cape government takes the health of our peoples very seriously.
We have already done some improvements at the West end psychiatric hospital. We will continue to build public infrastructure in the province.
The new mental hospital will be completed. The department will go out on tender soon to complete the project.
Enquiries:
Ben Sedisho
Cell: 082 696 0900
Tel: 053 839 2285
