Ex-health MEC ‘was clueless’

The deaths of 118 transferred Life Esidimeni patients was as a result of gross incompetence coupled with former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, pictured, “being clueless” about what she was doing, Health Ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba told the arbitration hearing yesterday.

In May 2016, Mahlangu ordered the transfer of the patients to 27 non-government organisations.

“There was just general incompetence across the system. The warning signals were there, but the department was not ready,” said Makgoba.

The health ombudsman was cross-examined by lawyer Dirk Groenewald, who represents three families whose relatives died in the saga.

Retired Justice Dikgang Moseneke asked Makgoba what could have driven Mahlangu to go ahead with the move that led to so many deaths when she had been warned of the dangers.

“What drove her in the face of all the warnings from experts, clinical departments, families, even by project managers she appointed… and she still pushed through when the risks appeared so ominous?” Moseneke asked.

Makgoba said Mahlangu did not understand the magnitude of the problem.

“I tried to find out from her what happened and the controls she set up, but all I could gather was this whole thing was not planned properly,” he said.

Makgoba testified that families did not know where their relatives were for months. Those who found out about the transfers and requested information were ignored. One parent found out after a year where his son was, but only because the son phoned him. “He went to see his son and bought him KFC chicken and, as I testified yesterday, Billy was so hungry he ate the chicken and the paper bag covering it. This was a serious human rights violation.”

One patient died and his sister did not know until three weeks later when the NGO phoned her.

“They asked her if they should bury the brother or if the family would collect it. From this you can see the families were not treated with common courtesy, human dignity or respect. Importantly, this is embedded in our constitution... and it did not occur in relation to the families.”

Groenewald asked Makgoba if the government had lied to the families when the department said the patients would be looked after properly when they were moved. He said the state was “was economical with the truth”. – ANA