An abandoned old Praktiseer clinic building outside Burgersfort in Limpopo is in a state of disrepair and has turned into a white elephant.

Concerned residents fear that the abandoned structure may turn into a hiding place for criminals. Vandals have already started stripping the building, stealing electric wires. Sometimes youths play gambling games such as dice and cards at the old clinic.

It’s believed to be the first clinic built in the area in the early 1970s, then shut down in 2004 when a new clinic opened. The old building has been standing empty and unused for 20 years and is rundown. The doors, windows and ceiling on the building are all broken.  

Ntebaleng Ngele (43) tells Health-e News that she was born in this clinic and is worried about the eyesore the old building is causing. 

“The government must turn the building into a centre for people living with disabilities or an old age home,” she says.

Another community member, Headman Mamogale says the government should have opened the new clinic but still keep the old one functioning.  

“It is a pity our parents now have to walk a distance to access a clinic because the one that was rendering services at their doorstep was shut down. Many pensioners are sick and use walking sticks, they can’t always walk the 3 km distance to get their chronic treatment,” he says. 

Residents are demanding urgent intervention from the government. 

When Health-e News visited the clinic building several weeks back, the gate was not locked.  There was a strong terrible smell coming from the pit toilet that have not been maintained. There are two unused bore holes in the yard. 

“The bore holes may benefit the community of Praktiseer which is struggling with access to clean running tap water,” Ngele says. 

The premises are inhabited by a 63-year-old woman who refused to Health-e News her name, as she is worried about her safety. The woman says she’s been staying in the building that used to house nurses on the same premises for the past five years. 

“I am concerned about my safety and feeling worried because I created more enemies than friends to those who want to vandalise the building or hijack it for their selfish interest. I am just a temporary care-taker of the building until I go on pension as a general worker for the community not to hijack it or to stop vandalising it unnecessary.” 

Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson, Neil Shikwambane says, “the custodian of government buildings is the Department of Public Works. The department has been moved into the new clinic that is currently utilising.”

But according to the public works department, the building still belongs to the health department. 

“Kindly note that the Department of Health has not yet surrendered the facility to the Department meaning the current user is Health,” the public works department says in response to our queries. 

“The facility in question is still under the control of health. However, now that this matter has been brought to our attention we will engage our counterparts at that department so that the matter is resolved.” – Health-e News