Qedani Mahlangu says she had no idea how the Life Esidimeni transfer would happen

Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu has admitted to the Life Esidimeni inquest that she had no knowledge of how the transfer project would be implemented after making the decision that would later have deadly consequences.

Mahlangu is among officials that signed off on the transfer of thousands of mental health patients from the Esidimeni facility to NGOs across the province.

More than 140 patients died during the process.

The inquest is set to determine if anyone should be held criminally liable for the 2016 decision and the subsequent fatalities.

While Mahlangu admitted that she was part of a team that agreed to terminate the Esidimeni contract, she said that was as far as her role went.

“I am not an executor. MECs are not implementers. I did not have to understand the processes. I am at the executive level; the implementers are at a lower level so they needed to understand the procedures.”

-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