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 organizations (NGOs) in the province after the government pulled out of the service-level agreement with the facility.
More than 140 patients died in the process.
Mahlangu testified at the Life Esidimeni inquest on Friday.
Mahlangu 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.
-EWN
In other news – Zoleka Mandela prepares for her funeral
South African author and activist Zoleka Mandela is celebrating finally finishing radiation treatment therapy for her brain.
The mum of six who has terminal cancer has been sharing updates about her journey as her cancer returned for the third time. Zoleka survived breast cancer twice and was diagnosed with stage three bones, lung and liver cancer. She was also recently diagnosed with brain cancer. Learn More
