Mahlangu unaware she could've requested more money to keep Life Esidimeni afloat

JOHANNESBURG - Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu said she wasn't aware it was an option to ask Treasury for more money to keep Life Esidimeni afloat.

The psychiatric hospital released more than 1,500 mental health patients to under-resourced non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the province after government pulled out of the service-level agreement with the facility.

More than 140 patients died in the process.

ALSO READ: 

• Life Esidimeni inquest: Mahlangu says she couldn't have foreseen the tragedy
  
  
• Life Esidimeni inquest: Mahlangu casts doubt on admitted evidence

She reaffirmed what has become common knowledge that the department cancelled the Esidimeni contract to cut costs.

Concerns about the safety, health, and dignity of almost 1,500 patients were raised. But Mahlangu said the proposal to buy the Esidimeni facility was never put to her in place of the marathon project.

"That was not discussed with me counsel. It might have been discussed in other forums but not with me."

Mahlangu said she also wasn't aware she could request additional funding from then-finance MEC Barbara Creecy.

"It's very interesting that today I learn that the Department of Health could have asked for more money and gotten it. I'm sure the doctors and the nurses are very surprised to be hearing this good news."

The inquest will continue to cross-examine Mahlangu at the start of next week.