Our history

As a tribute to Mediclinic Newcastle, a story about a child, who was born on 13 December 1996.

written by Freddie Meiring, previous Hospital General Manager.

The conception of the baby happened during the early 1990's when Newcastle Practitioners Organisation decided to appoint a steering committee to investigate the possibility of establishing a private hospital in Newcastle. With the wisdom and courage that the steering committee had, they were responsible to pursue of the idea. After a lot of hard work and research, travels across the country and the negotiation of the takeover of an existing licence, the baby was conceived and quite a long pregnancy followed - not the standard 9 months. The founders of the hospital deserve a tribute for their vision at the time.

The steering committee decided to employ HospiPlan, a specialist hospital management subsidiary of Aukland Medical (Pty) Ltd - at the time a listed Company, to act as obstetrician and gynaecologists to oversee the pregnancy and the subsequent birth process.

The baby, a girl, was born on 13 December 1996 and the christening ceremony was conducted by Dr. F.T. Mdlalose, during a function held in the foyer of the hospital. This was followed by the adoption process during which the board and management team, at the time, became the new parents of this baby. Being an adopted child, the team and the baby had to get used to each other. The team however persevered through lots of pain, hardship and good times.

A lot of wet and soiled nappies followed but the child kept on growing strongly - to the delight of everybody.

A lot of difficult times, but also joyful times followed. Eventually the child started crawling, followed by the unsteady walking. The management team were fortunate, as adoptive parents, to have, as their guides,  hospital board of competent members, and over the years the board was lead by several dedicated chairpersons who need to be acknowledged:

The late Dr. Kobus Pottas was the inaugural chairperson until September 2002;

Dr. O. Nel from November 2002 to early 2020; and

Dr. J. Matambo, who is the current holder of the seat.

With, initially a very thin staff complement and limited knowledge, the appointed management team helped this child to grow through the baby stage, followed by the toddler stage, followed by adolescence and she is now a fully grown young adult.

Over the years the team strived to bring this child up based on an own unique culture, that includes the cherished value of honesty together with respect, loyalty, integrity and trust.

They further taught her to be committed to the highest standard of efficient, professional and cost-effective service to her customers.

During the late 1990’s, Medi-Clinic Corporation (Pty) Ltd. (at the time) acquired Aukland Medical, a listed company and in doing so, obtained ownership of HospiPlan, the management entity at the time. This step resulted in the child being incorporated into a national hospital group consisting of 36 hospitals, at the time.

During late 2010, Medi-Clinic Corporation (Pty) Ltd. decided to launch a new brand and the team was requested to consider adopting the same brand. After some deliberation, it was decided that it was time for a change and the board adopted the new brand for this ever growing child. The latter resulted in another christening ceremony that took place on 1 November 2011, when the child was renamed to be called Mediclinic Newcastle. The team, at the time, believed that the new Mediclinic brand would add value to the continued growth of this girl in the years to come.

It is fitting to pay tribute to a group of people who played a major role in the growth and education of this child and the following require recognition:

Dr. Henrie Wicht and Mr. Abrie de Villiers - past owners of HospiPlan, for trusting the team to be adoptive parents of the baby.

The past and present members of the Board and in particular the past Chairman Dr. Otto Nel for his immense enthusiasm that encouraged the management team to do more and better. The Shareholders who took the risk, at the time, to invest in the child. Supporting doctors who was and still is so dedicated to the child and her adoptive patients.

The patients that had the opportunity to be served over the past nearly 25 years. Mediclinic, and in particular the management team of the Central Region of Mediclinic located in Bloemfontein.

The staff who looked after the child all these years and who still care for her well-being.