DA welcomes Makhura testifying at Esidimeni inquest

14 May 2023

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the decision by Judge Mmonoa Teffo that former Gauteng Premier David Makhura should testify at the Life Esidimeni inquest into the deaths of 144 mental health patients.

This follows the testimony of former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu that Makhura was directly involved in the decision to cancel the Esidimeni contract.

Other new witnesses will be former Finance MEC Barbara Creecy, and Professor Lesley Robertson of the South African Society of Psychiatrists who wrote a letter to Mahlangu in October 2015 expressing concern that community mental health services would not be able to cope with discharged Esidimeni patients.

Makhura has denied that he knew the Esidimeni patients were going to NGOs rather than other state facilities, but this is not credible as I asked questions about this in the Gauteng Legislature and warned that this was a looming disaster.

It is important that politicians are also held accountable for the Esidimeni disaster instead of the entire blame placed on officials.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 14 May 2023