[1]: 215  In October 1968, the Transvaal Provincial Authority and the University of the Witwatersrand announced that the site would be the choice for a new academic teaching hospital for Johannesburg.

[1]: 215  The proposal was for a 2,000-bed hospital with residential housing for 1,500 nurses and training facilities for 200 final year medical students and academic staff.

[1]: 215 The plan consisted of twin North and South complexes, 370m long and ninety metres wide, divided into five hospital blocks.

[1]: 215  The two complexes were divided by a wide enclosed walkway named Hospital Street that contained the lifts, public and staff facilities, cafes, post office, bank, chapel, library, and childcare centre.

[1]: 215 Plan called for five eight to eighteen storey buildings for accommodating 1500 nurses, with gardens, dining and assembly halls, and recreation areas.

[2]: 97  The contract was awarded on 21 August 1972[1]: 217  to a consortium of contractors consisting of German, Italian and South African firms of Hochtief, Impresa Ing.

In 2012 the Sunday Times of South Africa reported on a critical shortage of equipment and manpower that compromised medical care.

[6] The following month, it was revealed that although the hospital did not comply with fire safety standards, it had passed a fitness audit earlier in the year.

[10] While the building underwent assessments and awaited compliance certificates in May,[11] R30 million worth of copper piping that made up its water systems was stolen, and televisions in the paediatric oncology unit were also taken.