The Democratic Alliance (DA) in uMngeni calls on the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health to urgently prioritise the expansion and upgrade of the Howick Clinic, following widespread community concern and strong support for the petition signed by residents, patients, businesses, community organisations, and stakeholders.
The petition highlights what the DA has been raising for years: the Howick Clinic is operating out of outdated, undersized, and inadequate facilities that no longer meet the growing health-care needs of the region.
Howick, Mpophomeni, Merrivale, Lions River, Curry’s Post, and nearby communities have all experienced significant population growth and demographic shifts. Yet the clinic’s infrastructure and service capacity have not kept up, leading to chronic overcrowding, long waiting times, and limited-service availability.
Residents who require more advanced care are forced to travel approximately 27 minutes to Northdale or Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, a major barrier for the elderly, children, low-income families, and those without reliable transport. This places vulnerable residents at heightened risk and undermines equitable access to public health care.
The DA supports the petition’s call for the Department of Health to urgently implement the following interventions:
- Expand the Howick Clinic to increase capacity and improve service delivery.
- Upgrade existing infrastructure, including buildings, waiting areas, consultation rooms, and essential medical equipment.
- Introduce additional service offerings, such as emergency care, maternal and child health services, chronic illness management, and mental-health support.
- Increase staff allocation to ensure efficient, dignified, and professional health-care services.
- Conduct a feasibility study for a larger community health centre or district hospital to meet current and future needs.
Upgrading the Howick Clinic is essential to ensuring accessible, equitable, and high-quality health care for the region. This upgrade will reduce pressure on Pietermaritzburg’s hospitals, support vulnerable groups, and align health-care capacity with the rapid growth and development trajectory of the area.
The DA stands firmly with the community and will continue to advocate for improved primary health-care services in Howick and the broader uMngeni region.
We call on the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health to respond with urgency and work collaboratively to deliver a modernised, expanded, and fully functional clinic for all residents.