Pretoria - The Life Esidimeni inquest will resume on Monday, during a virtual sitting of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, when the cross-examination of Dr Makgabo Manamela continues.
Manamela was the director of the Mental Health Directorate at the Gauteng Department of Health during the transfer of mental health-care patients from Life Esidimeni into unprepared and unlicensed NGOs in 2016.
She is expected to be further questioned about her role in the deaths of 141 mental health-care users.
Manamela gave evidence for several weeks towards the end of last year, before the court adjourned for the December recess.
She was due to take the stand before Dr Barney Selebano, who was the head of the department at the time of the transfer of the patients. Her evidence was, however, delayed as she said she had health issues and submitted a doctor’s note.
Selebano had concluded his evidence and it is expected that former MEC for health Qedani Mahlangu will take the stand from April 10.
She will be the final witness, and her testimony will be followed by legal arguments presented by counsel who represent the families of the deceased.
Judge Mmonoa Teffo began hearing evidence in July 2021. The inquest relates to the moving of the patients to the ill-equipped NGOs.
The judge is expected to rule on whether anyone, or who, should be held criminally liable for the deaths.
Manamela earlier testified that she was instructed by top officials in the department to move the patients to state facilities and NGOs.
She said she had concerns about the relocations but was told that her job was on the line if she objected.
Section27, which represents 44 of the bereaved families, said it hoped the evidence presented would be taken forward by the National Prosecuting Authority, for possible criminal proceedings against those implicated.
Selebano earlier testified that in retrospect, some things could have been done differently.
He said a lot of planning preceded the moving of the patients, and the various stakeholders had held meetings about that from April 2015.
Selebano had signed the letter of termination with Life Esidimeni, and also co-signed the letter to implement the plan to relocate the patients.
Many of them succumbed to hunger, dehydration or neglect when they were moved to facilities that could not care for them.
Selebano said: “It was a plan which was capable of being implemented.”
During his testimony, he apologised to the families of the patients who died.
He said that as a leader he accepted accountability for what had happened.
“Loss of life is not easy. The families who lost loved ones are in pain … I still apologise today. This is still a painful episode in my life,” Selebano told Judge Teffo.
He also apologised to the families during earlier arbitration proceedings.
Pretoria News