Palace Group



Project background

Soweto, an acronym for South Western Township, located in Johannesburg is a populous black urban residential area with an estimated population of 1, 7 million residents (2010). Within this township, is the location of the second state hospital neatly nestled between the townships of Zola and Jabulani. Most of the residents in Zola and Jabulani as well as Soweto in general are impoverished and cannot afford private healthcare. It is hoped that this hospital will ease the bottleneck and alleviate pressure at the only hospital in Soweto, Chris Baragwanath Hospital.

The hospital was initially to be built in Zola, at the current Zola Clinic site, however, it was later found that the site was too small and deep into the residential area. An alternative site was found in Jabulani, hence the interchangeable name of the hospital.

The new District hospital comprised a multi storey 300 bed, now increased to 400 beds and 14 adjacent buildings which will act as a mortuary, laundry room, pharmacy and other service buildings. The 18 000 square meter hospital will include a maternity, obstetrics, gynaecology and radiology wards as well as outpatient care and emergency department amongst other services.

Palace Technologies' scope of work

Palace Technologies, a subsidiary of Palace Group, was appointed to provide design, supply, installation and commissioning the following mechanical engineering services:

• Medical gas
• Industrial kitchen equipment
• Kitchen cold and freezer rooms
• Autoclaves
• Industrial laundry equipment
• HVAC
• 32-body mortuary
• Water reticulation and drainage
• Fire protection and suppression

Progress to date

Progress on the project has been good with all aspects nearing completion, with practical completion expected in early April 2012. Service rendered for medical gas, HVAC, water reticulation and fire protection are at eighty five per cent completion. Cold and freezer room progress is also at eighty five per cent completion, whilst the mortuary and other services are at ninety five per cent complete.