Esidimeni drama plays out in court
Another health official seeks to dodge tribunal
Suspended Gauteng department of health head of department Barney Selebano will today get a chance to fight a subpoena compelling him to testify at the Life Esidimeni arbitration hearings into the death of 143 mentally ill patients.
Selebano was among senior officials who led the marathon project that transferred patients from Life Esidimeni care centre to various nongovernmental organisations in Gauteng.
Selebano has been identified as one of key witnesses to give testimony at the hearings chaired by retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke.
After failure to co-operate, he was then subpoenaed to appear before the Life Esidimeni hearings on Monday in Parktown, Johannesburg.
Selebano turned to the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to seek an interdict to put aside the subpoena.
His application was postponed to today because Judge Daniel Berger had other matters on his roll.
He was not the first official to try to avoid giving testimony at the hearings.
A week ago, suspended director of mental health in the department Makgabo Manamela made an application to have her testimony at the hearings postponed.
Manamela argued that she was facing a disciplinary hearing at work and possible criminal charges.
She said she could incriminate herself if she testified.
The application was dismissed, and she concluded her testimony on Monday.
Selebano and Manamela were suspended with pay following recommendations by health ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba in his report on the death of the patients.