Private hospital in millionaire hotspot gets major upgrade in South Africa
Growthpoint Properties is nearing completion of a major expansion of Busamed Gateway Private Hospital in Umhlanga Ridge, KwaZulu-Natal.
The R60 million upgrade is the latest investment by Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings (GHPH), and furthers its strategy to grow and upgrade South Africa’s private healthcare infrastructure.
Growthpoint said that Busamed Gateway Private Hospital is a pioneering, purpose-built hospital. Its expansion will see an expansion of the hospital’s surgical capacity with a seventh operating theatre
The expansion will also see the opening of a new 18-bed unit, with 12 ICU beds and six high care beds.
A new 30-bed adult ward, which includes six isolation units, is also under construction and is expected to open in Q3 2026.
“The expansion of Busamed Gateway Private Hospital reflects exactly the kind of value-creating investment GHPH seeks to make,” said Farhana Russell, Fund Manager at GHPH.
“By partnering with world-class operators such as Busamed, we are expanding hospital capacity in Umhlanga and the broader KZN region while building the healthcare infrastructure South Africa needs.”
Rafeek Nakooda, Hospital Manager at Busamed Gateway Private Hospital, added that the expansion represents a meaningful step towards strengthening the hospital’s critical care capabilities.
Nakooda said that the addition of new ICU and high care units enhances its ability to manage increased volume of complex cases and deliver improved patient outcomes via specialised care.
“This development follows the recent expansion and relocation of our emergency unit, which has already increased capacity and improved patient flow,” added Nakooda.
“Together, these investments enable a more efficient, integrated approach to care, reinforcing our commitment to meeting the growing healthcare needs of the region.”
Growthpoint said that the extension of Busamed Gateway deepens a well-established partnership, with three of GHPH’s hospital properties operated by Busamed.
This includes Busamed Hillcrest Private Hospital in Durban and Busamed Paardevlei Private Hospital in Cape Town.
GHPH is investing in similar upgrades at Busamed Hillcrest Private Hospital, which are due for completion in the coming months, further improving healthcare infrastructure in KZN.
Millionaires moving to the North Coast
While Gauteng and the Western Cape are often seen as the nation’s hubs of wealth, several millionaires can also be found in the Umhlanga and other North Coast regions.
The province was previously defined by old money, with wealth built on farmland, warehousing, and businesses passed down over three or four generations.
However, a new report commissioned by Standard Bank shows that wealth has been migrating to the coastal strip encompassing Durban North, Umhlanga, La Lucia, and Ballito.
The Big Four bank said that the North Coast also attracted a new type of resident, the semigrant executive: C-suite professionals, often 50 or older, who have chosen not to live in Cape Town.
This is due to the lifestyle, with cycling, trail running, surfing, year-round golfing in a subtropical climate, and proximity to an international airport on offer.
“KZN’s north coast has positioned itself as the lifestyle choice for the value-conscious executive, offering a compelling quality-of-life proposition at a fraction of Cape Town’s costs,” said Standard Bank.
Two large office parks, Umhlanga Ridge and La Lucia Ridge, also emerged with the northward migration, attracting a large group of corporates from the CBD, which was becoming unsafe.
The investment patterns of KZN elites have been dominated by the demand for high-end residential property, particularly within gated lifestyle estates.
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