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- The former head of mental health in Gauteng, Makgabo Manamela, finally appeared before the Life Esidimeni inquest on Monday.
- Manamela failed to appear last month, citing ill health, and a warrant of arrest was issued.
- Manamela told the inquest that while she signed the licences for NGOs, she was not in charge of ensuring that they were equipped to treat mental health patients.
After excuses of ill health and being threatened with arrest, the former Gauteng health department head of mental health, Makgabo Manamela, finally took the stand at the Life Esidimeni inquest on Monday.
Manamela was supposed to testify last month, but did not do so because she said she was too sick to testify.
Judge Mmonoa Teffo, who is heading the inquest into the death of 141 mental health patients, then issued a warrant of arrest.
On Monday, however, Manamela finally took the stand.
Manamela, former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, and former head of department Tiego Barney Selebano were cited as the senior officials behind the hurried removal of 2 000 mental healthcare patients from Life Esidimeni facilities to ill-equipped NGOs, where 141 of them died.
Selebano testified last month, while Mahlangu is expected to take the stand after Manamela.
On Monday, Manamela told the inquest that while she signed the licences for the NGOs, she was not responsible for choosing them or ensuring that they were up to standard.
READ | Life Esidimeni: Former Gauteng mental health boss Makgabo Manamela too sick to testify
Manamela said her team – including former deputy director of mental health services Hannah Jacobus, and district offices – was in charge of ensuring that NGOs were ready for the patients.
On what her role was during the project, Manamela said: "My role during the termination was to support the process and… [to] give reports of the developments we have made."
She said she also had to assist in profiling the types of patients at Life Esidimeni and establish how many of them were eligible to go home or to NGOs.
She was asked about the testimony of Precious Angels owner Ethel Ncube, who said that she expected to receive children at her NGO, but was instead assigned adults.
As she expected children, Ncube had cots instead of beds at her facility. Twenty-three people died at the facility.
Manamela said:
She also told the inquest she first heard about the termination project in the media while listening to Mahlangu's budget speech.
Manamela said the families of patients were not happy when they were informed about the termination project in meetings.
The inquest continues on Tuesday.
