Private Cape Town Hospitals
Private Cape Town hospitals offer modern facilities and are well equipped. They have motivated and well trained health care practitioners, nurses and doctors. The public hospitals often show a different picture mainly due to lack of funds.
Always remember to take out comprehensive private health insurance for your stay in Cape Town, as you want to be able to get the best help available in case of an emergency. Here you won't get treatment straight away at a private facility if you don't arrange for payment right before treatment or have a local medical plan. Been there, done that!
The private Cape Town hospitals often have adjoining medical centers where the specialists have their private practices. The big advantage here is that referrals are usually dealt with quickly and you will not have to wait long for an appointment if you have to see another specialist. So if you are looking into finding a new GP (general practitioner) we highly recommend to chose one of the Intercare Centres orFacilities or the Medicross Facilities that are connected to Netcare hospitals network.
The two largest private hospital groups in Cape Town are Netcare and Mediclinic. However, the are several other hospital groups Melomed and Life Health offering private health services of an equally high standard. Check out the hospital facilities and find a specialist in Cape Town directly on their websites.
Private Hospitals in Cape Town
Cape Town Hospitals: Netcare
The Netcare hospitals group offers medical services in hospitals and day clinics all across Cape Town. Check out the hospital facilities and services the private Netcare Hospitals offer in four locations:
- Netcare hospital in Blaauwberg
- Netcare hospital in N1 City/ Goodwood
- Netcare hospital in CBD/ Foreshore - Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital
- Netcare hospital in Kuilsriver
Mediclinic
Mediclinic operates several private hospitals and day clinics in Cape Town and countrywide. They have modern facilities and specialist care facilities.
- Mediclinic Cape Gate in Brackenfell, the newest in the group
- Mediclinic Cape Town in Gardens/ Oranjezicht close to De Waal Park
- Mediclinic Constantiaberg in Wynberg, off the M4
- Mediclinic Crescent Mental Health in Claremont Main Road
- Mediclinic Durbanville and Durbanville Day Hospital
- Mediclinic Louis Leipold Hospital in Bellville, off Voortrekker Road
- Mediclinic Milnerton, corner Koeberg Road/ Racecourse Road
- Mediclinic Panorama, off Plattekloof Road
- Mediclinic Strand, off Altena Road
- Mediclinic Vergelegen in Somerset West, off the Old Sir Lowry's Pass Road
Further out of town, there are Mediclinics in Worcester, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Hermanus, George, Outshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and other locations in the Western Cape. To find out more about the different hospitals and their facilities here. If you need a doctor or specialist check out the doctor search function here.
Life Health Care
Life Healthcare is another one of the big private healthcare providers in South Africa, they have four Life Healthcare member hospitals in Cape Town:
- Vincent Pallotti in Pinelands,
- Life Kingsbury Eye Hospital in Claremont
- Life Kingsburgy Hospital in Claremont
- Life Orthopaedic Hospital in Pinelands
- Orthopaedic Sports Science Day Hospital in Newlands
Further afield there are Life Health West Coast in Vredenburg and two Life Healthcare centres in Mossel Bay and Knysna.
Melomed Private Hospitals
Melomed Private Hospitals are relatively new on the market. They currently have five private health care clinics and private Melomed hospitals in and around Cape Town:
- Melomed Gatesville
- Melomed Bellville
- Melomed Tokai
- Melomed Mitchell's Plain
- Melomed Private Hospital in Claremont
Further there is a Melomed Hospital in Richards Bay/ Eastern Cape.
UCT Private Academic Hospital
Then there is to mention also the UCT Private Academic Hospital, which is located next to the Groote Schuur Hospital in Observatory. This newer private hospital was opened in 2002 and since 2005 the facilities of the Southern Cross Hospital in Wynberg are incorporated here. This hospital offers a kidney and dialysis centre. Most of the doctors at this hospital are heads of department at the Medical School of the Univcersity of Cape Town and well-renowned specialits.
Image Source on Cape Town Hospitals: Shutterstock.com
Additional note: Further you also can just pop in at the private hospital's Radiology Departments to have your visa radiology check done (chest X-ray) here. However, please note that radiology checks are no longer necessary for visa renewals from within South Africa, and also are only necessary for all applicants after 12 years of age. See DHA directive 5 of 2023.
In Cape Town's Mediclinic, Christiaan Barnard Hospital in the Foreshore (next to the Cape Town International Convention Centre) you can book your visa-chest x-rays at Morton & Partners and this is swiftly done for around R600. In the Southern Suburbs, in the Mediclinic Constantiaberg there is the Cape Radiology Centre, you can book your appointment online too.
Cape Town Hospitals - Page last updated 15 September 2025
