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The Gauteng Department of Health says it is taking special precautions to ensure the safe demolition of the Old Natalspruit Hospital in Katlehong, on the East Rand.

The demolition process began on Monday with the decontamination of the facility to remove contaminants and hazardous materials such as chemicals, radioactive substances and infectious disease.

“The demolishing works is a high risk undertaking and requires competent service providers whose scope will include detailed planning of works. Special demolition procedures and techniques are required due to dolomite and asbestos prevalence on site,” explained MEC for Infrastructure Development Nandi Mayathula-Khoza at a briefing on Johannesburg on Monday.

She said the demolition process was an extremely sensitive operation and as such measures would be undertaken to secure the hospital and warn members of the community not to enter the facility.

Her department would conduct a structural engineering survey to determine what special precautions are required as well as conduct a geotechnical report site investigation to evaluate site conditions.

A utility survey will also be undertaken to establish the reticulation of wet services and any other underground services to the facility.

The geotechnical report on the possible demolishing procedures, possible land use material or equipment will be released in the middle of September, she said.

Therefore all stakeholders, including members of the community and the business community, will be kept informed.

“There are a number of organisations that are interested in the use of the hospital land, including an NGO that wants to run rehabilitation programme. There are members of the community who would like to salvage equipment and material for re-use; all must await the entire process and will be informed of outcomes in due course.

The entire demolishing works is expected to be concluded by the end of December 2014.

The new Natalspruit Hospital in Vosloorus, recently opened it’s doors.

The hospital, which cost R1.7 billion to construct in a period of eight years, is furnished with 821 beds and spans an area of over 7 000m2. It offers services such as family medicine, 24-hour casualty, medico-legal, obstetrics and gynaecological, mortuary, radiography, and an eye nose and throat clinic.

It will take referrals from clinics, community health care centres and district hospitals, serving Thokoza, Vosloorus, Katlehong, Magugala Heights, Zonkizikwe, Phola Park, Palm Ridge, Eden Park, Germiston and Leondale. – SAnews.gov.za