A R100m private healthcare investment has injected new life into Gqeberha’s medical landscape, with the official opening of Cure Day Hospitals in Newton Park.
The state-of-the-art facility — developed at a cost split between R50m in operations and a further R50m in property — signals growing investor confidence in Nelson Mandela Bay and responds to rising demand for accessible, cost-effective health care.
Situated in Westview Village Office Park, the 1,500m² day hospital adds capacity to a city experiencing steady urban and population growth, while strengthening the Eastern Cape’s private healthcare footprint.
Chief executive Bert von Wielligh said the decision to invest in Gqeberha was both strategic and necessary.
He was speaking at the ribbon cutting on Friday, where the hospital’s doors were officially opened to the public in style.
“With the city’s continuous growth, we identified a clear need for another day hospital in the Bay,” he said.
The facility becomes the group’s 14th hospital nationwide and only its second in the Eastern Cape, underlining a broader expansion drive by the company, which has grown alongside the rise of day hospitals in SA.
Von Wielligh said the model — focused on same-day procedures — was aligned with global healthcare trends, where technology and efficiency reduced the need for prolonged hospital stays.
“Day hospitals offer more affordable, appropriate care,” he said.
“They are efficient, predictable environments for doctors, staff and patients alike.”
Von Wielligh boasts a distinguished career in hospital and operations management across the Medforum, Curamed and Mediclinic groups.
He also holds a BCom in accounting and an MBA from the University of Pretoria.
The hospital features three theatres and 24 beds, and will cater for a range of specialist procedures including orthopaedic, gynaecological, ENT, plastic and neurosurgery.
Beyond healthcare access, the development represents a long-term economic commitment to the city, with the group anticipating it could take between three to six years to reach profitability.
“This is not a business that delivers immediate returns, but we’ve budgeted for that,” Von Wielligh said.
“What matters is sustainability — and I’m proud to say we’ve never closed a day hospital before.”
The project, which took about two years to complete following regulatory approvals and construction delays linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, also highlights the complexities of healthcare investment, from licensing to location planning.
Gqeberha born-and-bred hospital manager Phumza Cakwebe described the opening as both a professional milestone and a personal achievement.
“Having grown up here, leading a facility like this is an opportunity I could not pass up,” she said.
Cakweba brings more than a decade of theatre experience to the role and leads a team of specialised surgeons, anaesthetists and trained staff focused on delivering high-quality, same-day surgical care.
She said patient experience and safety were central to the hospital’s design, from its coastal-themed interiors to its child-friendly wards.
“For patients, this is a calm, controlled environment where they can receive treatment and return home the same day. That plays a big role in recovery,” she said.
The group has been in existence for the past 18 years, with another branch in Beacon Bay in KuGompo City.
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