Health and Wellness
With regard to the renovations at the Railton Clinic in Swellendam following the fire: What is the status of the renovations and (b) what measures are in place to support the staff and patients?
(a) On 18 February 2025, a fire that damaged the Railton Clinic in Swellendam. Additional areas sustained water damage during efforts to extinguish the blaze. Following this fire, the Railton Clinic remains closed because parts of the brick building have been declared unsafe.
The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) appointed a main contractor to repair the damage, but I am informed that the contractor has fallen into breach of contract. It is my understanding that the DOI is now following its termination process, after which a new contractor will be appointed through the DOI contractor framework to complete the work.
Health and Wellness engineering and professional support teams remain involved, and the clinic will reopen only when an independent safety inspection confirms that the building is once again fit for occupation. Should a section be certified sooner than the rest, services will resume there in a limited capacity while full renovations continue.
(b) In the interim, all Railton patients have been redirected to Swellendam Clinic, which has been restructured to manage additional consultations. Patient records, medicines and essential equipment were moved to Swellendam Clinic to protect continuity of care.
On 3 June 2025, a temporary facility, known as Railton Alternate, was opened on the hospital grounds which includes a fully furnished staff container with four consulting rooms, separate ablutions for staff and for the public, and provision for a tuberculosis sputum booth and a marquee tent that has just been installed.
Additionally, a partially repaired mobile unit serves as extra office space, easing congestion, while two mobile clinics are covering limited routes so that chronic medicines reach rural patients. Plus, two new mobile units have been allocated to the district and will be deployed soon.
Throughout this period the department issues regular updates through local media, notice boards and stakeholder networks so that residents and staff remain fully informed of interim arrangements and progress on the rebuild.
