R60 Million Upgrade Expands Critical Care Capacity at Busamed Gateway Private Hospital
R60 Million Upgrade Expands Critical Care Capacity at Busamed Gateway Private Hospital. A major expansion project at Busamed Gateway Private Hospital in Umhlanga Ridge is nearing completion, with new facilities set to increase the hospital’s capacity for critical care and surgical services in KwaZulu-Natal.
The R60 million development is being undertaken by Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings (GHPH) in partnership with Busamed. According to the organisations, the project forms part of ongoing efforts to expand and modernise healthcare infrastructure within the private healthcare sector.
GHPH is South Africa’s first fund dedicated exclusively to healthcare and wellness real estate and is managed by Growthpoint Investment Partners, the fund management business of Growthpoint Properties. The fund manages approximately R7.3 billion in assets across a portfolio of licensed healthcare facilities.
The expansion at Busamed Gateway Private Hospital includes the addition of a seventh operating theatre, which has been operational since January 2026. The hospital has also opened a new 18-bed critical care unit comprising 12 intensive care unit (ICU) beds and six high-care beds.
Construction is continuing on a new 30-bed adult ward, which will include six isolation units. The ward is expected to open during the third quarter of 2026.
Farhana Russell, fund manager at Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings, said the project aligns with the fund’s strategy of investing in healthcare infrastructure alongside established healthcare operators.
“The expansion of Busamed Gateway Private Hospital reflects exactly the kind of value-creating investment GHPH seeks to make. By partnering with world-class operators such as Busamed, we are expanding hospital capacity in Umhlanga and the broader KwaZulu-Natal region while building the healthcare infrastructure South Africa needs,” Russell said.
Busamed Gateway Private Hospital manager Rafeek Nakooda said the additional facilities would strengthen the hospital’s ability to manage complex cases and enhance patient care.
“This expansion represents a meaningful step forward in strengthening our critical care capability. The addition of the new ICU and high care unit enhances our ability to manage increased volume of complex cases and deliver improved patient outcomes through a modern, specialised care environment,” he said.
Nakooda noted that the project follows the recent expansion and relocation of the hospital’s emergency unit, which was aimed at improving patient flow and increasing capacity.
The latest investment further strengthens the longstanding relationship between GHPH and Busamed. Three GHPH-owned hospital properties are operated by Busamed, namely Busamed Gateway Private Hospital in Umhlanga, Busamed Hillcrest Private Hospital in Durban, and Busamed Paardevlei Private Hospital in Cape Town.
GHPH said it is also undertaking upgrades at Busamed Hillcrest Private Hospital, with those projects expected to be completed in the coming months as part of broader healthcare infrastructure investments in KwaZulu-Natal.
