After the war it was purchased by the South African government and became one of the biggest hospitals in the world.

[1]: 9  In June 1940 Italy declared war on the Allies and in August that year it invaded British Somaliland.

The ground was bought from The Corner House mining group and it was to be situated at the 8th milestone on the road from Johannesburg to Potchefstroom.

He decided to open a refreshment station near the place where the roads from Cape Town and Kimberley met, about a day's journey by ox-cart south of Johannesburg.

[1]: 11 The initial estimate of the cost of erecting the hospital was £324,000, but it was then decided to make provision for 1,544 beds (instead of 1,200) because of the increase in hostilities in the Middle East.

[3] The people of Johannesburg supported the hospital throughout the war by providing entertainment and gifts for the patients.

Further sporting facilities including tennis courts, a swimming pool, a short golf course, and pitches for cricket, football, and hockey were provided.

Johannesburg with its warm climate and dry winters was an ideal location to treat such patients.

In the surgical section King George VI invested Flight Lieutenant E.R.H.Watson, Royal Air Force, with the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom).

On the lawn Colonel Scott was invested as Commander of the Order of the British Empire, while Principal Matron C. Hose became a Lady of the Royal Red Cross.

The Transvaal Provincial Administration paid the British government £1 million for the buildings, remaining equipment and stores.

They started converting the facilities at Baragwanath to accommodate the non-European section of the Johannesburg General Hospital.