The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness (DHW) plans to complete three hospital projects by 2033.

The Klipfontein and Belhar regional hospitals are both planned as new facilities that will strengthen the province’s regional hospital network and ease the pressure on existing facilities, says a departmental spokesperson.

“Planning and design work is progressing for both projects, along with the statutory and site-readiness processes that are required before construction can begin.”

The Klipfontein Regional Hospital will serve the Cape Town hubs of Athlone, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Manenberg, Mitchell’s Plain and Philippi, and, according to 2024 estimates, it will provide care to between 3 500 and 4 000 people a day.

Phase 1 is set for completion in 2033. This initial phase includes commissioning 222 beds and building the space to accommodate a further 196 beds.

Phase 2 will bring see the commissioning of the 196 beds, while Phase 3 will involve the construction of additional wards, bringing the hospital to its maximum capacity of 640 beds.

The Belhar Regional Hospital will serve Cape Town’s Tygerberg sub-structure and the Khayelitsha and Eastern sub-structure, as well as the Stellenbosch sub-district.

The 642-bed hospital is also planned for 2033 completion.

It is expected that an estimated 3 500 to 4 000 people a day will make use the hospital.

The third project is the Tygerberg Central Hospital, which is a redevelopment programme that will be delivered through the public-private partnership model.

This facility will replace the current Tygerberg Hospital with what DWH says will be a modern tertiary and quaternary facility that can meet highly specialised service demands for the province and the country.

Current planning is for construction to potentially start in 2028, with commissioning also set for 2033.

DHW says the three projects were selected after “careful service planning” that considered population growth, shifts in disease patterns, ageing infrastructure and the need to bring services closer to where people live.

“The goal is to increase capacity, improve patient flow and ensure that the province can continue to provide accessible, high-quality care across all levels of the health system,” notes the spokesperson.

“Community engagement is a key part of each project. Early engagements have already taken place in some areas and further opportunities for public participation will be provided as the projects move forward.”