An inquest into the mysterious deaths of more than 140 patients at one of South Africa’s mental health hospitals in Gauteng province has fingered two senior officials as liable for 10 of the cases.
The inquest, which was chaired by North Gauteng High Court judge Mmonoa Teffo, found former Gauteng provincial health minister Qedani Mahlangu and the ex-head of Gauteng mental health Makgabo Manamela liable for the deaths of 10 mental health patients in what has come to be known as the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
The judgment, released on Wednesday, concluded that both officials’ actions directly contributed to the fatalities following a disastrous transfer of 141 mentally ill patients from Life Esidimeni facilities to various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in 2015 and 2016.
The court determined that no one could be held accountable for the remaining 131 deaths.
The transfers, which were part of a cost-cutting initiative, led to most patients dying from neglect-related causes such as hunger and hypothermia due to inadequate care at the NGOs.
The facilities at the NGOs were deemed ill-equipped and unprepared for such an influx of vulnerable individuals requiring specialised care.
In her judgment, Teffo highlighted evidence indicating negligence on behalf of Mahlangu and Manamela.
Former Gauteng Premier David Makhura testified that he was misled about the severity of the situation when initially informed about patient deaths, which were downplayed as “normal” occurrences by officials, including Mahlangu.
Mahlangu’s testimony attempted to shift responsibility onto Makhura, alleging it was his decision that led to this catastrophic outcome – a claim contradicted by evidence presented during the inquest.
The findings have sparked outrage among families affected by this tragedy and have raised serious concerns regarding oversight and accountability within South Africa’s healthcare system for mental health patients.
JN/APA