It is a teaching hospital for the University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, along with the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Helen Joseph Hospital and the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital.
History
The name Baragwanath is of Cornish origin, meaning "wheaten bread"The Royal Imperial Hospital, Baragwanath, was built in what today is Diepkloof in 1941 for convalescing British and Commonwealth soldiers. John Albert Baragwanath owned a hostel, The Wayside Inn, from the late 19th century near the hospital's current location. Field Marshal Jan Smuts noted during the opening ceremonies that the facility would be used for the area's black population after the war.
In 1947, King George VI visited and presented medals to the troops there. From this start grew Baragwanath Hospital (as it became known after 1948), reputedly the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere. In 1997 another name change followed, with the sprawling facility now known as Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in honour of the South African Communist Party leader who was assassinated in 1993 by right-wing extremists.
It is said that more than 2 000 patients check into the hospital's specialised clinics and out-patient departments daily.
Chris Hani Road is the main thoroughfare through Soweto from the highway off-ramp. While travelling down this road, many of Soweto’s present and past-day sites can be viewed along this stretch, including Chris Harni Baragwanath Hospital, Mopanya Mall (Soweto’s largest shopping mall built in 2007), Soweto’s extensive mini-taxi rank, matchbox houses built during apartheid, squashed between extended properties and modern constructions feeding the sprawling low-rise “city”.
For More Information
www.chrishanibaragwanathhospital.co.za Address: 26 Chris Hani Rd, Diepkloof 319-Iq, Johannesburg, 1864Phone: 011 933 0967