Pretoria’s Zama Zama clinic gets new lease of life and dignity after neglect

For years, patients at the Zama Zama Clinic in Pretoria West had to brave rain, mud and dust while waiting to see a health-care professional. Inside, cracked floors, ageing infrastructure, overcrowded consultation rooms and poor sanitation had made the small clinic difficult for both patients and health-care workers.

The clinic now looks very different after the University of Pretoria (UP), in partnership with the non-governmental organisation New Schools of H.O.P.E. and their commercial sponsors, celebrated the reopening of the renovated facility on Tuesday.

The clinic, which opened in 2016, started as a modest 12-metre-long shipping container adapted by New Schools of H.O.P.E. to provide basic health-care services.

As the Zama Zama informal settlement grew, the facility could no longer cope with the number of people needing care. Patients were left waiting outside while the structure deteriorated.

Alida Fourie, founder of New Schools of H.O.P.E., said the conditions at the clinic were the catalyst for the renovation.

“We saw patients waiting outside in the rain, in the mud. We saw dust, and we unfortunately saw neglect, an environment that did not reflect the value of the people it was supposed to serve,” she said.

It is not only about having a health-care facility here, but about creating a space that is beautiful, welcoming and dignified—  Prof Flavia Senkubuge

Fourie said the project was not simply about improving the building but about restoring dignity to the people who use it.

“The project was never about the bricks, the paint or the building. It has always been about restoring dignity, creating a place where health-care professionals can work with pride, and ensuring that every patient is welcomed with compassion, respect and hope,” she said.

The renovated clinic now has larger waiting and consultation areas, improved medicine storage, running water, proper sanitation facilities, a staff kitchenette and artwork.

Prof Flavia Senkubuge, dean of UP’s faculty of health sciences, said the project showed what could be achieved through collaboration.

“What excites me most is that, as a faculty, we have the opportunity to collaborate on such a meaningful project,” she said. “These underserved communities represent some of the most vulnerable members of our society, and this clinic is truly special.”

Senkubuge said a health-care facility should not only provide medical services but should also make patients feel valued.

“It is not only about having a health-care facility here, but about creating a space that is beautiful, welcoming and dignified,” she said.

“The artwork, the ambience and the vibrant colours send a powerful message to the community that, even in times of illness, they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.”

For Dr Edith Madela-Mntla, director of UP’s COPC research unit, the upgrade is also an investment in disease prevention, research and the training of future health-care professionals.

“COPC means community-oriented primary care, and that is exactly what this clinic stands for,” she said. “It is health care that is not just in the community but for and with the community.”

The previous conditions of the clinic had also affected research and student training.

“We know that when a clinic struggles, the community struggles. Research that could help us prevent disease at household level had to be put on hold because the clinic space was inadequate,” said Madela-Mntla.

The new clinic is absolutely wonderful. It is clean, modern and welcoming, and it gives people confidence when they come here for health care—  Community leader Ntate Mogale

She said the renovated facility would create opportunities for better care, research and training.

“For the first time, we have running water and proper ablution facilities. These are very basic human needs,” she said.

Madela-Mntla also urged residents to take responsibility for the facility.

“A renovated building is only half the work,” she said. “The other half is you. This is your clinic. Please use it, protect it and respect it.”

Community leader Ntate Mogale, who has lived in the Zama Zama informal settlement since 2019, said the changes had given residents a facility they could be proud of.

“The difference is remarkable,” he said. “The new clinic is absolutely wonderful. It is clean, modern and welcoming, and it gives people confidence when they come here for health care. We now have a facility that our community can truly be proud of.”

The reopening validates a united approach to tackling community needs, he added.

“The reopening shows what is possible when organisations, universities, businesses and communities work together. This clinic has given our community renewed hope and a place where people feel welcomed and respected when seeking health care.”