Aggeneys, Northern Cape, 08 May 2025

Vedanta Zinc International (VZI) is honored to announce the groundbreaking of a state-of-the-art Oncology Chemotherapy Treatment Centre at the Dr. Van Niekerk District Hospital in Springbok, Namakwa District. Valued at approximately ZAR 22 million, this transformative healthcare investment marks a pivotal step in decentralising cancer care in the Northern Cape. The groundbreaking ceremony is set to take place on Thursday, 8 May 2025, attended by prominent government and community leaders.

This milestone project is rooted in VZI’s flagship healthcare initiative, The PinkDrive cancer outreach programme, which was adopted in 2015. To date, nearly 8,500 individuals have benefited from cancer screening and testing services valued at approximately R8 million. Building on this success, VZI pledged at the 2023 African Mining Indaba to expand access to cancer care in the Namakwa District - a commitment now being realized through close collaboration with the Northern Cape Provincial Government and both the Provincial and District Departments of Health.

The upcoming Oncology Chemotherapy Treatment Centre will house 10 chemotherapy stations with a capacity to treat up to 240 patients per month. It will significantly reduce the need for cancer patients to travel up to 800 kilometers for life-saving treatment, ensuring timely and accessible care within their own communities. The Centre is designed for future expansion to include radiotherapy services and will be developed in two phases: construction and equipping with an expected completion timeline of approximately 7 months followed by a 6-month accreditation process.

VZI has appointed BVi as the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) partner, working in collaboration with ICON to ensure the facility meets the highest clinical and technical standards. The facility’s accreditation process will align with international benchmarks, underlining VZI’s commitment to delivering world-class cancer care.