MEC Mahlangu was following orders, witness tells Life Esidimeni hearing
Former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu was instructed to end the Life Esidimeni contract by people above her. This is the claim of former mental health review board director Dumi Masondo who was supposed to independently oversee mental health in the Gauteng province. Masondo was testifying at the Life Esidimeni arbitration hearings on Friday and made a poor witness‚ frequently contradicting herself. But she is the first witness to suggest someone above Mahlangu was involved in the fatal decision. Masondo was asked why she thinks the Esidimeni move happened‚ which led to 141 deaths. She suggested Mahlangu ended the contract with Life Healthcare under orders‚ but had no further details. "Do you think MEC can do something so drastic [alone]?" She also testified that Gauteng Premier David Makhura did know about the move as he attended meetings on it. Makhura has always said he didn’t know about the move of the mentally ill patients and the subsequent deaths. Masondo was a poor witness and wa...
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