‘Testify or face arrest’

Hearing gives former Health head Dr Makgabo Manamela ultimatum

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 22 2017

THE suspended director of mental health in Gauteng, Dr Makgabo Manamela, will be issued with a warrant of arrest should she fail to avail herself tomorrow to testify about the deaths of more than 140 patients from the Life Esidimeni psychiatric facility, the dispute resolution committee set up to probe the tragedy ruled.

Manamela was implicated after the Health Ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, released a report in February this year into the deaths which he ruled were the result of transferring patients from Life Esidimeni to unregistered NGOs in Gauteng.

Manamela failed to show up at the arbitration hearings yesterday morning, claiming through her lawyer that she was too sick to testify.

Earlier, Manamela’s representative, Lerato Mashilane, asked for a short adjournment, telling the hearing his client was consulting a doctor and was not feeling well.

“My instruction is that my client will be here on Thursday and a medical certificate in that regard will be given before this arbitration.” Mashilane said the certificate would be provided before the end of business yesterday.

It is unclear what caused Manemela’s sudden illness.

Advocate Adila Hassim, acting for Section 27, expressed her dissatisfaction with the lack of a medical certificate and having to rely on Mashilane’s word.

“We have some difficulty with that, but if the witness is unavailable to testify due to illness, there’s nothing we can do.”

Advocate Dirk Groenewald, representing the families of the dead, insisted that a warrant of arrest should be issued as Manamela had failed to show up or provide a medical certificate.

Justice Dikgang Moseneke, who is chairing the arbitration hearing, told Groenewald that Manamela’s claim might be genuine, and if that was the case, it would be a waste of the court’s time to immediately issue a warrant of arrest. – ANA