The high court ruled that former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and former head of Gauteng mental health Dr Makgabo Manamela contributed to the deaths of some of the 144 mental health patients in the Life Esidimeni tragedy. File Photo
Human rights organisation, Section27, has urged the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to move with speed in prosecuting officials who were implicated in the Life Esidimeni deaths.
This comes after Judge Mmonoa Teffo, who chaired the inquest, released findings implicating Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and former head of Gauteng mental health Dr Makgabo in the deaths of 10 mentally ill patients on July 10, 2024.
Teffo said no-one can be held liable for the deaths of the other 133 patients. One patient is unaccounted for.
The purpose of the inquest was for the court to determine who should be held accountable for the deaths of 141 mentally ill patients who died after being transferred from Life Esidimeni facilities in 2015 and 2016 to ill-equipped Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
The move was implemented as a cost-cutting measure, and patients were sent to ill-equipped facilities after officials failed to conduct due diligence, leading to most of them dying from hunger and hypothermia.
Following Teffo’s findings, the NPA said if there was relevant and admissible evidence to charge the Mahlangu and Manamela, the prosecution unity will not hesitate to take the matter to a criminal trial.
It has been almost four months and the NPA hasn’t said anything which prompted Section27 to write to the NPA demanding that the matter is expedited to ensure comprehensive accountability and commit to regular updates to affected families.
Responding to the letter, Gauteng NPA spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana said that the decision that will be taken is one that will ensure justice and closure for the families of the victims.
“We want to assure the families as well as organisations representing the families of the victims, that the NPA takes this matter very seriously and we are in the process of making a thorough, well-informed decision.
“It is very important to note that the outcome of the inquest does not necessarily equate to a trial ready case, as there may be additional criminal investigations that need to be conducted,” she said.
She added that the the Director of Public Prosecutions was prioritising the matter and a decision will be taken and communicated.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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