Due to the harsh conditions of the Noordhoek Civic Centre, the free dental clinic by Dr Joseph Joshua had to be cancelled.
More than 87 residents made their way to the civic in the early morning hours of Thursday 14 August, but due to the bad condition of the building, Joshua said he could not expose patients to a non-secure and unhygienic area.
Joshua is well known in the West Coast and has been hosting free dental clinics for years, travelling all the way from the Netherlands where he has his own dental practice.
Joshua had to make the decision to cancel the free dental clinic as he did not want to strip patients of their basic right to privacy.
According to Joshua, arrangements were made months ago with the Bergriver Municipality in order to use the facility. “Despite booking the venue well in advance — in February — and clearly communicating the requirements for a clean, secure, and private environment, the Bergriver Municipality failed to meet even the most basic standards.
Upon arriving to set up, we discovered there were no doors on the clinic space. The request for keys was refused, leaving valuable equipment, worth over R2 million, at risk.
Eventually, the equipment had to be stored in the boardroom for safety.
When we arrived more than 50 patients were already waiting in the cold and the number later grew to over 85.
Among them were parents who had taken unpaid leave, children who had to miss school, and individuals living with severe dental pain who simply cannot afford the high costs of extractions elsewhere,” said Joshua.
Reaching out to the municipality the day before sharing his concerns about the condition of the building, Joshua said nothing was done about the situation and that he is shocked by how this was handled and approached.
According to Matthew Sheldon, spokesperson of the Bergriver Municipality, he can confirm that Joshua submitted the booking for the use of the Noordhoek Community Hall, and that the request was specifically for the provision of tables and chairs.
“There were no additional requests, which requires specialised hygienic and private conditions. Community halls are designed and maintained for meetings, gatherings and events and are not equipped to function as a medical facility. The municipality was not made aware beforehand of these specific requirements and therefor could not advise Dr Joshua appropriately or assist with alternative arrangements.”
Sheldon added that the municipality remains committed to supporting initiatives that benefit residents and will engage with Dr Joshua to explore a more suitable option for hosting such valuable services in the future.
Joshua says he still has not heard from the municipality to date and finds it shocking, as the free dental clinic has been hosted there before.
At the end of the day Joshua said he did what he still could and issued sicknotes, handed out pain relief and antibiotics to those in urgent need. The Lions Club provided soup and bread.
“What is most painful is that this was preventable. This community had an opportunity, a chance for dignity, relief, and hope — and it was lost because those in authority failed to care enough.”
