Judge is outraged at testimony into deaths of mental-health patients
Dorothy Franks‚ who ran the Anchor non-governmental organisation (NGO) where at least five patients transferred out of Life Esidimeni care died‚ was paid about R600‚000 over the four months after the NGO was shut down. More than 72 severely mentally ill patients were moved from Life Esidimeni homes into her small NGO which was so crowded and deadly‚ it was shut down by October 31 last year. Yet‚ Franks told the hearing‚ she continued to receive R150‚000 a month from November until February. She also admitted she drew 29 patients’ South African Social Security Agency grants until March this year at almost R1‚500 per patient. "Nearly R35‚000!" exclaimed the hearing judge‚ Dikgang Moseneke.Franks admitted under cross-examination by Moseneke that she knows people in the Gauteng Health Department finance division‚ but gave no further details about their relationship. Her NGO had been on the Cullinan Care and Rehabilitation Centre premises until it was shut down. She was paid R539‚000 i...
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