Life Esidimeni inquest judgment

10 July 2024

The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions takes note of the judgment of the Life Esidimeni Inquest handed down by the Pretoria High Court in relation to the death of 141 patients.

In the judgment, Judge Teffo found that the former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and the former Gauteng Mental Health head Dr Makgabo Manamela can be held liable for the death of ten patients, namely Virginia Macaphela, Terence Chaba, Lucky Maseko, Josiah Daniels, Charity Ratsotso, Deborah Phehla, Matlakala Elizabeth Motsohae, Koketso Mogoerane. The judge also found that no one can be held liable for the other 133 patients that died.

This judgment comes two years after the inquest hearing started before Judge Teffo on 19 July 2021, where a total of 40 witnesses were called to testify. Some of those witnesses include MEC Qedani Mahlangu, Dr Makgabo Manamela, the former Gauteng Premier David Makhura and the former Gauteng Finance MEC Barbara Creecy.

The next step is that the office of the DPP will thoroughly study the judgment in order to make a determination on whether the NPA will institute prosecutions against the two individuals whom the court found can be held liable for the deaths.

Issued by Lumka Mahanjana, NPA Regional Spokesperson