Limpopo villages struggle without a clinic since 1996

Residents of Mbaula Ranch and Phalaubeni villages in Limpopo’s Mopani District have been waiting since 1996 for the Limpopo Department of Health to build them a clinic. The villages have grown to over 1000 households, and residents are raising concerns about prolonged healthcare neglect.

Accessing healthcare is expensive. A round-trip taxi fare for the 14km trip to Makhuva Clinic costs R22. Frequently, they are referred to Nkhensani Hospital in Giyani, 58km away. This costs them almost R100 for a round trip. 

For the elderly, who rely solely on their SASSA pension grants, transport is a significant expense that forces them to cut back on other needs. 

“I have lived here for over two decades without access to a clinic, and we have to travel to Giyani or Phalaborwa for healthcare, which is difficult. With the high cost of living, we are forced to use our SASSA grant money for transport, and I have to go monthly for a high blood pressure check-up,” says 79-year-old Norah Bungelo.

James Mthombeni, 83, says the community continues to hope the department will deliver on its promise. 

“We’ve been waiting since 1996, as the nearest clinics are far from us. Sometimes we have to hike, only to find long queues. When we are referred to a hospital, it takes three taxis just to reach Nkhensani Hospital in Giyani.”

Accessing maternity services is particularly difficult with women reporting that they have to hire private transport at a cost of R500 if going into labour at night. But public transport is scarce at night, forcing some to give birth at home or en route to the health facility.

Residents are also upset that a ‘visiting point clinic’ is no longer operational.  A clinic visiting point is a designated location, often in rural or underserved areas, where healthcare services are temporarily provided by medical professionals. These points serve communities without access to a permanent healthcare facility.

No new clinics built in a decade

Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana says no new clinics have been built in the province since the 2013/2014 financial year when the province was under administration. 

During the 2024/2025 budget presentation then Limpopo MEC for Health Dr Phophi Ramathuba stated that R848.2 million had been allocated to the Health Infrastructure Programme. She said these funds would be used primarily for hospital revitalisation, building and upgrading clinics, and maintenance.

Despite this budget, progress on new clinics — like the one promised for Mbaula — remains slow. 

Shikwambana acknowledges Mbaula as one of several communities in need of a clinic saying: “There are many areas requiring new facilities as communities have grown significantly since then.”

He couldn’t commit to a timeline for a new clinic. – Health-e News