No reason to end Life Esidimeni contract over money
Finance MEC, premier testify that disgraced health MEC was never told to cut spending
THE government was plunged into deeper trouble when it emerged yesterday that it had ignored repeated warnings from professionals not to move psychiatric patients from Life Esidimeni.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura dropped the bombshell when he testified in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Hearings before retired Justice Dikgang Moseneke.
“I could have done something to be more responsive,” Makhura said.
The premier, who said he was not trying to absolve himself from taking responsibility, admitted that the government had ignored warnings from civil society and other medical professionals regarding the cancellation of the Life Esidimeni contract.
He acknowledged that he intervened too late. “I regret that I was not aware… I know this is not for anybody in a position of power to say ‘I was not aware’. It may be difficult for the families to believe me.”
Makhura said he was only aware of the disaster after at least 36 patients had died and he sprung into action to ensure that NGOs were closed down and an investigation instituted.
He was made aware of the deaths when former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu gave answers to the provincial legislature, he said.
Makhura and finance MEC Barbara Creecy shocked the hearings by claiming the Health Department was never in such dire financial straits that it warranted cutting services.
Both Makhura and Creecy testified that despite Mahlangu’s testimony, the project was not implemented to try to save costs. Instead, the government was willing to offer the department more money to ensure that it was able to look after the vulnerable.
Creecy said the department was not told to cut costs on core health services.
Makhura and Creecy said when the plan was presented to them, they were informed that patients would be moved to government institutions and not to illegal NGOs.
Creecy said: “We said if you can offer the same quality of service then go ahead.” She added that there were never plans by the provincial government to reduce spending on mental health services.
The 144 psychiatric patients died after they were moved from Life Esidimeni to makeshift NGOs, some of which had not been registered properly.
Creecy said when the plan was presented by Mahlangu and her former head of department, Dr Tiego Selebano, the executive was assured that the government would be able to offer patients the same care.
While NGOs previously testified that they never received payments for their services, Creecy said over R47 million was transferred to NGOs.
Precious Angels – where the majority of patients died – received over R1m. The owner, Ethel Mncube, testified that she was not paid for three months. As a result, she was in debt and lost her car and her home.
Another NGO, Takalani, received R88 000; Masego received over R13m; and Sharma House over R2m. Only three NGOs were never paid, Creecy said.
She also rubbished Mahlangu’s claim that the other reason for implementing the move was that the auditor-general had flagged the contract, because it had been going on for years without going out on tender. Creecy said there was no written evidence of this fact.
Makhura and Creecy apologised to the families. Makhura said: “I apologise, because there are things I could have done. You have suffered and we are responsible for the pain.”
An emotional Creecy said: “The testimony of suffering and cruelty that I have listened to have filled me with so much shame that I was part of this government when this happened. I apologise to you deeply and sincerely.”
The suffering and cruelty has filled me with shame