Transalloys opens Clinic doors to Vosman

The new Sinqobile Primary Healthcare Clinic was recently opened by Transalloys in partnership with the Department of Health. Valued at over R11m and sponsored by Transalloys,

the new facility will help improve the lives and wellbeing of over 50 000 beneficiaries per annum, delivering on the promise of its name: “to overcome” or “conquer”.

Located in the heart of the Vosman community in eMalahleni, the official opening of the Sinqobile Clinic has been three years in the making. Identified in 2019 as a key community priority by Transalloys through our ongoing stakeholder engagement process, we set about initiating this Corporate Social Investment (CSI) funded project to design and build the primary healthcare facility.

“From the outset, our intention was to directly impact the lives and health of the local community of Vosman and beyond – giving doorstep access to the primary healthcare services they need; eight hours a day, five days a week,” explains Theo Morkel, the General Manager of Transalloys. “Once established and patient-ready, we would then hand the facility over to the Department of Health which will manage it going forward. The official opening has enabled this.”

Speaking at the event, the Premier of Mpumalanga, Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, highlighted the potential the clinic will unlock for the local community: “Focusing on mother and child health; HIV/ AIDS and TB treatment; and disease prevention and control, the Sinqobile Clinic will improve the overall health and healthcare outcomes of our community. This, in turn, will impact the quality of life within Vosman and surrounding areas – giving individuals and families better life opportunities. Community members will no longer need to travel far distances to receive medical advice and help. Expecting mothers will be supported throughout their pregnancies. Children will be immunised, and our grandmothers and grandfathers will be assisted into their old age with care and compassion. As such, there is much to celebrate.”  

While the clinic itself will stand as a beacon of hope and the “ability to overcome” for the broader community, it is worth noting that the project was impact-driven and led from the outset.

In this way, Transalloys worked to make every rand invested count. Key indicators and expectations were specified in all contracts upfront – looking for meaningful and innovative ways in which suppliers could serve the community whilst delivering on the work. This ensured that local targets were set and met regarding suppliers, recruitment, procurement, community social investment, skills development and job creation. It has meant that the clinic has essentially been built for the community by the community.

In his speech, our GM thanked the 12 local suppliers involved in different parts of the contract, and the 78 community members who helped build the clinic. He also acknowledged the ongoing partnership of the lead contractor who invested an additional R63 000 in ensuring meaningful skills transfer and development, as well as contributing over R123 000 to support vulnerable community members (including pensioners and orphans) throughout the contract duration: “The legacy they have helped us create will always be acknowledged and valued.”

With 15 permanent jobs created at the new clinic, including those for nurses, security officials, cleaning staff and facilities management, and local SMEs to provide additional services where required, the Sinqobile Clinic is sure to become a new local hub that sparks growth and brings positive change.

As Transalloys, we’re privileged to have been the catalyst for this project. Our wish remains that the clinic delivers on its founding purpose well into the future. May its patients and their loved ones be blessed with good health and long lives where they see their children and their children’s children grow old with them. In this way it will continue contributing to the positive future of our valued local communities.