The Limpopo health department has come under fire for continuing to pay a hefty monthly rental for a rundown building in Polokwane that houses its provincial medicine depot.

Despite the building’s deteriorating condition, the department continues to pay R150,000 monthly to the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), without a clear long-term plan to address the state of the building. To make matters worse, workers at the facility claim that the department has been paying rent without a valid lease agreement since April of last year. 

LEDA did not respond to our media query.

The medical depot plays a crucial role in servicing over 400 clinics and 43 hospitals across Limpopo. The building, which has been in use since 2011, has been in a deplorable state of disrepair since 2021 when torrential rain damaged equipment, furniture, and medicines. 

Workers at the depot have raised serious concerns about the building’s condition affecting their work and health. Speaking to Health-e News, employees who wished to remain anonymous as they are not allowed to speak to the media described the situation as unbearable.

One employee says: “The roof was damaged by heavy rains in 2021, leaving part of it immersed in water. But nothing has been done to fix it.” 

The staff report that on rainy days, it becomes nearly impossible to work as water floods the building. The persistent water leakage leaves carpets smelling damp for days.  

“The smell is unbearable, and we’re worried about the long-term impact it could have on our health [due to mold],” says the worker.

Limpopo health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana explains that the department continues to pay the monthly rent due to existing contractual obligations.

“Although the lease expired in April last year, the department continues to pay rent to ensure uninterrupted services from the medicine depot. This temporary arrangement will end once the new pharmaceutical depot is operational after its completion,” Shikwambana says. 

The new depot is expected to be complete in the second quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. 

New contract for a medicine depot

The Conty Lebepe Foundation, a nonprofit organisation supporting marginalised communities in Limpopo, says they have raised this issue with former health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba and current MEC Dieketseng Mashego.

Two weeks back the foundation’s national coordinator, Conty Lebepe, visited the building and described the situation as appalling.

“The department could find a suitable building but has decided to pay hefty rent for a rundown property. One wonders what the deal is between the department and LEDA,” says Lebepe. 

According to Shikwambana, the department awarded a contract for the construction of a new pharmaceutical depot, which is currently underway.

“As soon as the new facility is ready, the department will relocate and cease payments for the current rundown building, ” he says. – Health-e News