Former head of department (HOD) at Gauteng Health Barney Selebano changed his tune about what led to the termination of the Life Esidimeni contract in 2016.
The cancellation of the contract subsequently saw mental health patients being moved to ill-equipped non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across the province.
More than 140 patients died during the botched transfer project dubbed the “Gauteng marathon”.
The Life Esidimeni Inquest continued at the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday.
Selebano admitted that the department had R60 million in excess in the 2015/16 financial year’s budget, despite claims the department could not afford to pay Life Esidimeni.
During the 2017 arbitration hearings, Selebano testified that the long-standing Life Esidimeni contract was terminated due to budget constraints.
Selebano gave the same testimony when he appeared before the Life Esidimeni Inquest at the start of the week.
But he changed his tune during cross-examination by advocate Nasreen Rajab-Budlender on Wednesday.
Based on the under expenditure of the 2015/16 budget, the lawyer representing the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, as well as the families of 44 victims, laboured the question about costs.
Selebano then told the inquest that the decision was made to ensure revenue enhancement.
Selebano said he considered making a proposal that government buy the Life Esidimeni facilities in 2016.
He said at least R100 million could have been channelled to make a purchase offer to Life Esidimeni that year.
This included buying three facilities in the province.
Selebano said he mulled over the proposal as an alternative to terminating the long-standing contract between the life healthcare group and the government.
If the option was available, advocate Rajab-Budlender asked why the government would not buy the facilities to avoid displacing psychiatric patients to hamstrung NGOs.
Selebano said he didn’t pursue the idea further, fearing there would be some red tape.
The inquest will determine if anyone should be held criminally liable for the tragedy.
-EWN
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