CAPE TOWN - The Western Cape government on Friday said it was in talks with the national government to exempt
more healthcare facilities in the province from rolling power cuts.
On Friday morning Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced that three hospitals in the province - Tygerberg, Groote Schuur and Red Cross War Memorial Hospital - were exempted from power interruptions.
Provincial health officials said there had been a standing deal in place with the city to have these health facilities protected from power cuts up to stage 6.
Head of health in the province doctor Keith Cloete said Cape Town hospitals in need of exemption include Mitchells Plain, the Mowbray Maternity Hospital and the New Somerset Hospital.
Cloete said they also needed exemption for nine hospitals: “The first one is George Hospital as George and the entire Southern Cape is dependent on the hospital. The second one is Khayelitsha Hospital, the third one is Worcester Hospital.”
