Qedani Mahlangu faces lawsuit
Opposition parties call for criminal charges against the former Gauteng health MEC over the ‘massacre’ of psychiatric patients
Former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu faces a class action lawsuit by the families of 94 psychiatric patients who died in appalling conditions in the care of unlicensed NGOs. Health ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba’s report into the scandal, which has shocked the country, found that Mahlangu’s cost-cutting exercise to move the patients from Life Esidimeni had been expensive and deadly. Only one patient died from mental illness-related causes, while the others died of dehydration, starvation, diarrhoea and epilepsy. Opposition parties on Wednesday called for Mahlangu and Premier David Makhura to be charged for the patients’ "massacre", because it had been as a result of "their incompetence". Makgoba has recommended legal action in a report hailed as unprecedented in naming and shaming officials. Mahlangu resigned on Tuesday night before the report was made public on Wednesday. She will be replaced by the former deputy minister of health Gwen Ramokgopa. Between March 23 2016 and Decem...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.