Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) has completed a R30-million upgrade of its Welkom Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Hospital in the Free State, expanding capacity and introducing new medical technologies aimed at improving recovery outcomes for injured workers.
The facility, which has been operating since 2016, now offers expanded custodial care, wound management, rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation units; on-site pharmaceutical services; 24-hour nursing care; a multidisciplinary team of therapists and medical officers; and an in-house orthotics and prosthetics centre established via a joint-venture partner.
RMA launched the refurbishment in early 2025 to modernise the hospital and bridge gaps in access to specialised rehabilitation services for workers in underserved communities.
Speaking at the opening of the upgraded hospital, RMA Group CEO Mandla Shezi said the company’s mandate goes beyond traditional insurance. “We have a legal mandate to rehabilitate injured workers and cannot leave that to chance. For us, infrastructure is an enabler of protection, dignity and social value,” he said. “Where a commercial facility might end its mandate at discharge, ours intensifies — we remain accountable for recovery, employability and long-term wellbeing.”
The project has also generated socio-economic benefits for the Welkom area. During construction, RMA partnered with local contractors, artisans and suppliers, creating hundreds of temporary jobs and skills development opportunities. The hospital’s expanded operations are expected to create permanent posts in clinical care, administration, facilities management and support services.
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala, who delivered the keynote address at the launch, said the facility demonstrated the importance of partnerships between business, government and civil society. “Today we celebrate not only a world-class facility, but also the values that underpin our democracy: dignity, compassion and the pursuit of a better life for all,” she said. The Deputy Minister added that her department’s aim is not only to compensate but to empower ex-mineworkers to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into their families and communities.
According to RMA, the upgraded Welkom Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Hospital is part of its broader strategy to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, deliver modern patient-centred care and stimulate local economies, turning a health facility into a catalyst for recovery, employability and long-term resilience.
