Cradock Hospital decay sparks concern over Eastern Cape health infrastructure

Conditions inside Cradock Hospital have come under renewed scrutiny after concerns were raised over broken windows, boarded-up sections, damaged wards, and makeshift repairs in parts of the hospital.

The Democratic Alliance confirmed the concerns in a statement issued on Thursday, describing the situation as part of a broader infrastructure crisis affecting public hospitals across the Eastern Cape.

DA Shadow MEC for Health Jane Cowley MPL said patients should not be expected to recover in facilities where “basic maintenance has been allowed to collapse”.

“Broken windows, unsafe entrances, damaged buildings, and poorly maintained wards compromise patient dignity, undermine staff morale, and place further strain on an already overburdened health system,” Cowley said.

According to Cowley, the DA has submitted parliamentary questions to Eastern Cape MEC for Health Ntandokazi Capa seeking details on funding allocated under the Infrastructure Programme for urgent repairs at Cradock Hospital, as well as timeframes for the completion of the work.

Cowley said Cradock Hospital reflects a wider problem facing healthcare facilities across the province.

“Across the province, public hospitals continue to suffer from collapsing infrastructure and failing basic services,” she said.

The DA also criticised the Infrastructure Programme within the Eastern Cape Department of Health, arguing that it has repeatedly failed to deliver proper maintenance, planning, procurement discipline, and consequence management needed to keep hospitals safe and functional.

Despite this, Cowley said the programme received a substantial budget increase in the current financial year while frontline services, including District Health Services and Hospital Services, faced budget reductions.

“This raises serious questions about the Department’s priorities,” she said.

“Funding cannot continue to be channelled into a programme that fails to maintain hospitals, while services directly linked to patient care are placed under further pressure.”

Cowley further argued that the Department of Health should prioritise its core mandate of providing adequate and accessible healthcare services.

“Patients in the Eastern Cape deserve hospitals that support their recovery,” she said.

“They deserve wards with proper windows, bathrooms with working toilets, lifts that function, and buildings that are safe for patients, staff, and visitors.”

Komani News has approached the Eastern Cape Department of Health for comment. The article will be updated should a response be received.