Despite warnings, Mahlangu failed to prevent deaths in Life Esidimeni tragedy - court
The Pretoria High Court found that the negligenct conduct of Mahlangu and director of mental health, Makgabo Manamela, caused the death of some of the victims in the tragedy.
FILE: Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu. Picture: Sethembiso Zulu/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu failed to prevent the loss of life in the Life Esidimeni tragedy despite a number of expert warnings ahead of the disastrous marathon project.
The Pretoria High Court found that the negligent conduct of Mahlangu and director of mental health, Makgabo Manamela, caused the death of some of the victims in the tragedy.
JUST IN: Judge Mmonoa Teffo has, so far, found that the death of 9 #LifeEsidimeni victims was negligently caused by the conduct of former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and the former Head of the Mental Health Directorate Makgabo Manamela. @khanya_mntambo pic.twitter.com/R0MK58Ki1m
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) July 10, 2024
More than 140 people died in 2016 when the health department terminated its contract with the Life Esidimeni Hospital.
The Pretoria High Court on Wednesday handed down a landmark judgment in the Life Esidimeni inquest, making it the first of its kind.
Mahlangu and Manamela were among key decision-makers almost a decade ago when the Life Esidimeni contract was terminated.
At the time, they cited the need to de-institutionalise mental health and save costs as the drivers for the marathon project.
But it failed dismally when the NGOs meant to house patients were found to be unlicenced, had a lack of infrastructure and a lack of skills to care for chronic mental health patients.
Judge Mmonoa Teffo said that Mahlangu and Manamela were complicit in the deaths.
"Effectively, Mahlangu and Manamela created the circumstances in which the deaths were inevitable."
The court is yet to release the full judgment on the complicity of other officials.