SAKHIWO: Beyond Bricks: Sakhiwo Building Africa’s Digital Health Future

For more than a decade, Sakhiwo has helped shape the healthcare landscape of South Africa and the broader southern African region. Established with a clear mandate to bridge the gap between public health ambition and practical delivery, the company has built a reputation as a multi-disciplinary healthcare consultancy capable of taking complex infrastructure projects from concept to commissioning. Today, it is recognised as an industry leader in healthcare infrastructure development and project management, with a portfolio that spans district hospitals, community health centres, and specialist units designed to meet the demands of modern medicine.

At its core, Sakhiwo operates at the intersection of healthcare expertise and infrastructure execution. The business works with government departments and private partners to plan, finance, design, and implement facilities that respond to real clinical needs. From early feasibility studies and funding models through to construction oversight and operational readiness, Sakhiwo’s approach is holistic. It understands that healthcare property is not simply about buildings; it is about designing spaces that enable clinicians to work efficiently and patients to receive dignified, effective care.

Over the years, that philosophy has translated into a strong portfolio of completed projects and an even more compelling pipeline. Current developments include the Siloam District Hospital, Mpumalanga Community Health Centres, Limpopo Central Hospital, and the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital Oncology Unit. Each project represents not only significant capital investment but also a commitment to expanding access in provinces where healthcare infrastructure has historically lagged behind demand. In a country still grappling with inequality in health outcomes, such developments are critical.

Sakhiwo’s strength lies in its ability to coordinate multiple disciplines under one strategic umbrella. Engineers, architects, clinicians, financiers, and project managers are brought together to ensure that facilities are fit for purpose and financially sustainable. In a sector where delays and cost overruns can and have eroded public trust, this level of integrated project management has become a defining feature of the company’s brand.

DIGITAL IMPERATIVE

Yet even as cranes rise and concrete is poured, Sakhiwo’s leadership is increasingly clear that the future of healthcare cannot be built on physical infrastructure alone. The recent appointment of CEO Benjamin Mokgothu signals a renewed focus on digital transformation as a central pillar of the company’s strategy.

Mokgothu and Sakhiwo are unequivocal about the shift required. “When we think of healthcare infrastructure, it is easy to picture new hospitals, clinics, and medical equipment. Yet in today’s world, the backbone of resilient health systems is increasingly digital. From electronic medical records (EMRs) to AI-powered diagnostic tools, data is becoming as essential as bricks and mortar in delivering care that is efficient, equitable, and future-ready,” he says.

The urgency is undeniable. “The urgency could not be clearer. Around 4.5 billion people worldwide still lack access to essential healthcare services, and by 2030 the global shortfall of health workers is projected to reach 11 million. Digital systems are no longer optional extras. They are fundamental to tackling the dual challenges of scarce resources and rising demand.”

Across Africa, these pressures are acute. Rapid urbanisation, population growth, and the burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases are stretching already constrained systems. At the same time, clinicians are often overwhelmed by administrative tasks and fragmented information flows. “In many healthcare settings, clinicians face mounting administrative burdens while patients navigate disjointed care across multiple facilities. Without integrated digital systems, information is lost, records remain siloed, and opportunities for prevention and early diagnosis slip away,” Mokgothu explains.

This reality demands a rethinking of what infrastructure actually means. “Traditional infrastructure planning that focuses only on physical expansion risks missing this critical dimension. Digital systems unlock efficiencies, enable collaboration, and strengthen patient-centred care,” he says.

For Sakhiwo, this translates into embedding digital capability into the earliest stages of project planning. Connectivity, data architecture, cybersecurity, and system interoperability are considered alongside bed numbers and theatre layouts. Sakhiwo frames it simply: “Healthcare growth can no longer be measured simply in wards, beds, or clinics. True progress lies in integrating physical infrastructure with robust digital systems that connect patients, providers, and policymakers through data.”

The message resonates strongly in a continent that is moving rapidly into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Hospitals are no longer isolated facilities; they are nodes in a broader ecosystem of information. Telemedicine, AI-assisted diagnostics, remote monitoring, and digital referral systems all depend on reliable connectivity and secure data environments. “By investing in both bricks and mortar and digital infrastructure, we can build health systems that are not only stronger today but resilient, inclusive, and prepared for the future,” Mokgothu adds.

The stakes are high. “Hospitals depend on more than electricity and water—they also run on information. Yet across much of the world, health data remains fragmented, delaying decisions that can save lives. When data doesn’t flow, care doesn’t either,” Sakhiwo says.

The company points to fragile and conflict-affected settings as evidence of how digital tools can sustain services under pressure. “Sudan offers a stark example. Conflict has left over 70% of health facilities non-functional, cutting millions off from essential services. To bridge this gap, UNICEF, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organisation have deployed digital tools that extend care beyond clinic walls—from telehealth consultations to real-time data systems. Even in crisis, coordinated information systems rebuild trust, empower frontline workers, and reconnect communities to care.”

For Mokgothu, the lesson extends well beyond one country. “This lesson reaches far beyond Sudan. Across Africa, connected care and data-driven coordination are essential—not just for emergencies, but for building resilient health systems.”

SYSTEM INTEGRATION

Sakhiwo’s projects increasingly reflect this integrated mindset. New facilities are being designed to anticipate future digital upgrades, ensuring that infrastructure does not become obsolete as technology evolves. Data rooms, fibre connectivity, and secure server environments are built in from the outset. Clinical workflows are mapped with digital integration in mind, reducing duplication and improving patient journeys.

“Healthcare infrastructure is evolving to anticipate illness, not just treat it. As digital systems and data intelligence reshape care, the most effective facilities will prioritise seamless connection and information flow. Sakhiwo’s work aligns with this approach—creating environments where technology, data, and expertise converge to strengthen systems and outcomes. Africa’s future health systems will be defined by how effectively knowledge moves through every corridor of care,” Mokgothu says.

This perspective positions Sakhiwo not merely as a project manager but as a strategic partner in system reform. In a country preparing for National Health Insurance and grappling with uneven provincial capacity, the ability to align infrastructure with policy and digital strategy is invaluable. Moreover, as regional governments look to expand specialist services such as oncology and tertiary care, the need for facilities that are digitally ready from day one will only intensify.

The broader industry context reinforces this direction. Across Africa, investment in vaccine manufacturing, biotechnology, and health innovation is gathering pace. Digital tools are being recognised as cost-saving mechanisms that can reduce duplication, improve supply chain management, and enhance disease surveillance. For decision makers, the message is clear: infrastructure and information must advance together.

Sakhiwo’s evolution under Mokgothu’s leadership reflects a wider shift in African enterprise. The company demonstrates that world-class healthcare development can be conceived and delivered locally, through partnerships that blend public purpose with private sector discipline. By combining rigorous project management with a forward-looking digital agenda, it is helping to redefine what healthcare infrastructure means on the continent.

In many ways, Sakhiwo embodies a new model of African growth: ambitious, technically sophisticated, and deeply attuned to social impact. The projects rising across South Africa’s provinces are more than construction sites; they are tangible commitments to equity, resilience, and innovation.

As healthcare systems face mounting strain, examples of this kind are not simply encouraging—they are essential. Through partnership, strategic thinking, and a willingness to embrace both physical and digital transformation, Sakhiwo is showing what is possible. In a region where the need for accessible, high-quality healthcare remains urgent, that leadership could not be more timely.