Former Gauteng MEC ‘pleaded’ for health ombud to investigate Life Esidimeni deaths

It’s not unusual that “people die” was the response from health officials to former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu when she raised concerns with officials about a move that resulted in patients’ deaths in 2016.

Mahlangu was on her second day of testimony at the Life Esidimeni inquest on Wednesday in the Pretoria high court. Former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke, in his 2018 arbitration award to the deceaseds’ families, found Mahlangu, who was MEC at the time, to be “the ultimate leader” of the project that implemented the move of patients. This week she apologised to the families for their loss.

After concerns were raised in 2016 by media and Section27, a public interest law centre representing the families, she visited one of the NGOs, Precious Angels. It had been paid R1m from the Gauteng department of health, despite 18 of its Life Esidimeni patients dying from the move.

When visiting Precious Angels, Mahlangu was told by owner Ethel Ncube that “they had not been paid” and were “losing staff”. Mahlangu said she “was concerned with overcrowding”, especially after she recognised patients who had been moved from Life Esidimeni facilities. She noted various premises were “not suitable to accommodate mental healthcare users” she told Judge Mmonoa Teffo who is presiding over the inquest. 

Budget cuts 

The inquest seeks to determine criminal liability for the deaths of 141 mental healthcare patients in various NGOs, after patients were moved to these NGOs in 2016 from Life Esidimeni facilities that had provided treatment to state patients. The move from Life Esidimeni facilities to apparently cheaper NGOs arose as a result of budget cuts in the department.

Mahlangu said her officials told her in 2016 that because these are healthcare facilities, it is not unusual that “people die”. Mahlangu nevertheless said she wanted the health ombud, Malegapuru Makgoba, involved. However, she says, he “was not keen” initially. She “pleaded” with the then-health minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, to get the ombud on board and he agreed.

She suggested to the aggrieved families to start a family committee “with participation of the department”. She told them to give her “a call in case officials were not assisting”. She said they could call “at any time of day”. 

Noting patients missing clothes during the move, Mahlangu said she pleaded with the public on the radio. “South Africans have a kind spirit of generosity,” she said.

Another concern that was brought to her attention was the number of NGOs which were not properly registered. She asked her financial officials to “correct” these concerns. Her officials worked “tirelessly, over the weekend”, citing the late Babita Deokaran as part of this group. 

Regarding the licensing of the NGOs, she said she had “no knowledge” of licenses being fraudulently provided as had been alleged by other witnesses. She said she trusted her officials, considering long-time experience — she cited the inquest’s previous witness from Monday, Gauteng Mental Health Director Makgabo Manamela, as issuing licenses to NGOs for a long time.

Finally, Mahlangu outlined the correspondence procedures in her department, noting that she would often delegate to authorised medical professionals, since she herself was not one.

Cross-examinations by the families and others begin Thursday.