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Health services in the rural town of Mount Frere and its surroundings are set to receive a major boost with the construction of new R87 million hospital.

This was announced by the Premier of the Eastern Cape, Rev Makhenkesi Stofile, and Health MEC, Monwabisi Goqwana, at a public meeting held on the site of the new hospital in Mount Frere. The meeting is part of a week-long government outreach programme organised for the rural districts of Mount Frere, Tsolo and Qumbu, which began today. The Premier and members of his Executive Council spent this day meeting traditional leaders, communities and other stakeholders to get unmediated concerns, aspirations and public comments on public service delivery, as part of the government's efforts of bringing government closer to the people.

Giving details of the construction planned to begin in January 2002, MEC Goqwana said 800 jobs would be created during the construction phase that is scheduled to take up to two years. He said the project was delayed by the unavailability of a new site and welcomed the consensus reached by the community with their traditional leaders to identify a site just five kilometres outside of Mount Frere.

Addressing an enthusiastic crowd that gathered in an open field near a monument of "Madzikane of Zulu", Premier Stofile said the government is really determined to eliminate the inequities in the provision of health services. He said recent attacks on the Health MEC were motivated by resistance to the changes he was determined to get through. He praised the decision of the community on the location of the hospital, saying it fitted well with their development plans. He said in a number of other places community differences resulted in the allocated funds not being used, saying the government was responsive to collective community calls for development assistance.

The new hospital will replace an old dilapidated missionary hospital build many years ago in Mount Frere. He said the old Mount Frere Hospital could not be extended or substantially changed, hence the decision to build a new hospital that would serve all the surrounding deserving areas. Dr Goqwana said the old hospital would be renovated and used for something else.

Some projects that include a local economic development initiative in Qumbu - Gqunu Farms - will be officially launched during this week. The project, funded from the local economic development fund to the value of over R1 million, began operating last year focusing on food production. Nearly 100 small farmers collectively run the project that will on Wednesday officially launched by Premier Stofile and MEC for Agriculture Max Mamase.

Your institution is requested to cover this important occasion which is set to mark a dramatic improvement in the local community's ability to feed itself and ward off the scourge of poverty.

Enquiries: Manelisi Wolela on 082-4147768

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Eastern Cape, 14 May 2001