Khutsong West Clinic in Carltonville closing indefinitely due to sinkholes in area
In April, the Gauteng health department sent alerts to patients, urging them to get transfer cards for the use of alternative facilities.
The Khutsong West Clinic. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - The Khutsong West Clinic in Carltonville will be closing indefinitely on Thursday as sinkholes in the area are expanding.
In April, the Gauteng health department sent alerts to patients, urging them to get transfer cards for the use of alternative facilities.
The sinkhole is just meters away from where five houses have already collapsed into the ground.
In the last few weeks, residents of Khustong have given mixed reactions to the news of the closure of the clinic, with some forthcoming while others expressed unhappiness.
The Department of Health has listed four alternative facilities for patients to go to, saying because they were less than four kilometres away, they would not be providing transport for patients.
Residents have also called for a replacement mobile clinic, which the department also refused, citing the threat of the sinkhole in the entire area.
Department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba urged the public to cooperate.
He added that provisions had been made for staff working at the clinic.
"We have made sure that our staff members at Khutsong West Clinic are spread across the other five facilities to make sure we can continue to seamlessly render service to patients who used to receive services at Khutsong West Clinic," said Modiba.