Speech by the MEC for Health and Social Development at the sod turning for the Leratong Hospital accident and emergency unit at Leratong Hospital, Kagiso

Members of the Leratong Hospital Board;
Representatives of the South African Medical and Education Foundation;
Chief Executive Officer and Management of Leratong Hospital;
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

I take this opportunity to commend South African Medical Foundation for having partnered with us once more in revitalising our hospitals.

The fact that you efforts are directed to those hospitals which are located in townships says a lot about your priorities.

We value this partnership. The fact that this project will not be subjected to government procurement processes means that it will be expedited.

Last Tuesday we opened a similar project that had been completed at Pholosong Hospital. It indeed changed the face of that hospital.

I therefore want to say to Ms Diane Polse, you have set a standard you dare not lower it.
The obvious beneficiaries of this project will be patients and our staff and I am sure they are all looking forward to its expeditious completion.

Once more government values partnerships, they epitomise what the State President referred to as the social compact in his inaugural State of the Nation address.

We look forward to continue working with the South African Medical and Education Foundation to revitalise our hospitals.

I thank you.