Life Esidimeni: Makhura should account - family member of victim
The inquest will determine if anyone should be held criminally liable for the death of over 140 psychiatric patients who were moved from the facility to ill-equipped non-governmental organisations.
JOHANNESBURG - Former Gauteng Premier David Makhura is again in the firing line as some of the families of the Life Esidimeni victims continue to call for officials to take accountability.
Makhura's name was thrust into the spotlight several times at the Life Esidimeni inquest sitting at the Pretoria High Court.
The inquest will determine if anyone should be held criminally liable for the death of over 140 psychiatric patients who were moved from the facility to ill-equipped non-governmental organisations.
Eyewitness News spoke to some of the families of the victims who gathered in Forest Town, Johannesburg, to discuss the matter over the weekend.
When the former HOD at the Gauteng Department of Health Barney Selebano testified at the Life Esidimeni inquest in September, he told Judge Jowie he wasn't sure who was ultimately responsible.
READ: Life Esidimeni inquiry: Manamela denies hiding key info about patient deaths
Selebano said it was difficult to point a finger at then-Gauteng Premier David Makhura and maintain for sure that he made the final call to terminate the Life Esidimeni contract.
It is now common knowledge that Selebano, former Mental Health Director Makgabo Manamela and Provincial Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu were among those who implemented the plan that led to the tragedy.
They are dubbed the big three.
But there have also been questions about those in the upper ranks.
READ: Life Esidimeni inquest: Manamela poised to enter week 4 of testimony
While Makhura testified at the 2017 arbitration, he was not part of the ongoing inquest.
Christine Nxumalo, who lost her sister in the tragedy, said Makhura must account for a lack of oversight.
"That's where I think I would nail the premier because when these people come and say 'we're going to do XYZ', they don't interrogate those plans enough."
However, there doesn't appear to be a consensus among the families that former Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi also has a case to answer.
