Communities in crisis: The healthcare fallout from hospital closures in North West province

On 8 September 2021, a devastating fire ravaged the Christiana District Hospital, destroying renovations worth more than R95-million. A forensic investigation later concluded that the blaze was caused by human error. Just a few months later, on 21 January 2022, the North West Health Department shut down Thusong District Hospital, citing serious concerns about patient safety and the conditions under which staff were working.

More than two years later, these closures have left many in the region struggling to access healthcare services, sparking growing frustration among residents.

“I spend R60 for a return trip to collect my treatment for hypertension and arthritis at General De La Rey District Hospital,” said Malesolle Mokoatsi.

Mokoatsi, who is from Sheila Village located near the closed Thusong District Hospital, previously fetched her medication at the Thusong Gateway Clinic before it shut down.

Now, she said she had to travel 60km for healthcare after allegedly receiving poor treatment from workers at Tlalelo Madyibi Clinic, which is 10km from her home.

“Sometimes we find that there is no medication at the General De La Rey Hospital and we are told to come the following day,” said Mokoatsi.

She is unemployed and said that her application for the Social Relief of Distress grant, which would have provided her with R370 a month, was rejected.

“I cannot afford to travel back and forth because I am unemployed, so I end up having to ask someone to collect my treatment,” she said.

Letlhogonolo Matebele, also from Sheila Village and unemployed, said she needed to cough up R600 for transport costs after an ambulance failed to show up nearly four hours after she had an asthma attack.

“I was struggling to breathe and my family had to call an ambulance at 7pm. At 11pm the ambulance had not arrived, and my family decided to ask for assistance from a local transport operator who charges R600 at night,” she said.

Matebele claimed the mobile clinic serving their village failed to stick to its schedule and lacked essential medications needed by the community.

She said she now had to travel 15km, costing about R30 for a round trip, to collect her hypertension medication and asthma pumps from the Itsoseng Community Healthcare Centre.

Thusong District Hospital was a vital lifeline for communities unable to afford the journey to General De La Rey Hospital. Situated along the R503 road between Mahikeng and Lichtenburg, the hospital which opened in 1968, served more than 200,000 people from towns such as Lichtenburg, Coligny, Biesiesvlei, Verdwaal, Sheila, Bodibe, and Itsoseng.

When Spotlight visited the site where Thusong District Hospital once stood, it was a stark scene of destruction and neglect. The area had been completely vandalised and demolished, with a few men seen illegally dismantling what was left and hauling away bricks. Some of them said they planned to sell the bricks, while others intended to use them for their own homes. There was no sign of security, and it appeared that there was little left to protect.

‘Not enough space, no privacy’

‘Long waiting hours, no space, ambulance delays’

‘People are struggling’

Government response

DM