Suspended head admits role in Esidimeni deaths
BARNEY Tiego Selebano, suspended head of the Gauteng health department, yesterday admitted he was responsible for the deaths of 143 psychiatric patients linked to the botched transfers from Life Esidimeni.
“I take accountability, it happened under my watch,” Selebano told retired deputy chief justice, Dikgang Moseneke, during the second day of testifying before the Esidimeni Arbitration Hearings.
The suspended HOD last week unsuccessfully asked the courts to grant him relief from testifying because he still faces an internal disciplinary inquiry over his role in the tragedy.
Selebano also conceded that the patients died as a result of, among other ills, negligence.
On Tuesday, Selebano admitted that he approved the plan to move patients to unlicensed NGOs. He said he didn’t inspect whether the facilities were fit for the purpose as he had tasked his managers to do so.
“It’s not feasible for an HOD anywhere in the country to run every single project on the ground. That’s why you trust your managers – if you don’t trust them, who are you going to trust?” Selebano said.
The HOD, a medical doctor, said if he had known better, he wouldn’t have allowed the project to take place.
However, he failed to explain why his health department continued to move patients when their own psychiatrists and families of the patients warned against it.
“Despite all warnings, you and the MEC (Qedani Mahlangu) pushed ahead with the project, was it executive arrogance?” asked Moseneke.
“No, I am not an arrogant person,” Selebano replied.
“Death is the ultimate price these patients paid, there are also survivors of this tragedy. Why did you proceed despite warnings?” pressed Moseneke.
“If I had the foresight, I would have stopped,” said Selebano
“But you were warned?” asked Moseneke.
“It’s difficult for me to go back to 2015 and determine my state of mind then. I accept there were warnings,” he replied.
Selebano also revealed that he inquired about buying Life Esidimeni and realised that it was possible to buy it cash to ensure continuity.
“Why didn’t you buy the facilities instead of displacing patients? It would have spared us the tragedy,” said Mosenke.
“If I could have seen into the future, I would have,” Selebano replied.
Moseneke told Selebano that by law he was expected to take steps which would avoid harm. – ANA