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Dozens of health facilities across Limpopo were damaged by the flooding triggered by persistent heavy rains, which started in December 2025, leaving some partially inaccessible while others operate under strain.
At Tswinga Clinic outside Thohoyandou, the perimeter fence collapsed, exposing the clinic to potential criminal activity and disrupting healthcare services.
A nurse at the clinic, who spoke to Health-e News on condition of anonymity, says that without a fence, they are in a vulnerable position.
“Clinics are often targeted. We don’t want a repeat of incidents like the Chuene Clinic in January 2025, where nurses were kidnapped, robbed and raped. Anyone can now walk into the clinic,” one nurse says.
The nurse adds that staff continue reporting for duty despite fears for their safety. “We are here to help patients,” she says.. “But we also need to feel safe while doing our jobs.”
Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego visited Tswinga Clinic two weeks back, where she confirmed that the main damage was to the clinic’s fence. She said a maintenance team had begun urgent repairs to restore security at the facility.
Mashego also commended healthcare workers who continued providing services under difficult conditions and those who reported to alternative facilities when flooding made their workplaces inaccessible.
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Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana confirmed that repairs at Tswinga Clinic are underway but have not yet been completed.
Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has said that the estimated cost of repairing damaged health facilities currently stands at R7 million. The figure is expected to increase as assessments continue and further rainfall is forecast.
Health services disrupted
The flooding has not only damaged infrastructure but has also disrupted access to healthcare services. The provincial secretary of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Limpopo, Jacob Molepo, says the flooding has affected both facilities and roads leading to them, preventing some healthcare workers from reaching their workstations.
“Roofs were leaking, many facilities were flooding, and some workers could not reach their workstations. The government must urgently fix the damage so healthcare workers can work without fear of injury from debris or unsafe structures,” Molepo said.
He stressed that damage to Tswinga Clinic requires urgent intervention because it directly affects the safety of healthcare workers and patients.
Other flood-damaged facilities
In the Mopani District, seven hospitals and 19 clinics sustained damage, while storm-related destruction was recorded at Bela-Bela, Ellisras, FH Odendaal and Mokopane hospitals in the Waterberg District.
In Vhembe District, Elim Hospital – one of the region’s largest referral hospitals – suffered extensive storm damage after sections of its roof were compromised. The damage forced management to close some wards and relocate staff and patients.
Health officials warn that further rainfall could worsen existing damage and place additional pressure on Limpopo’s already strained public health system.– Health-e News.
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