DA welcomes negligence finding for Esidimeni deaths
10 July 2024
The Democratic Alliance welcomes Judge Mmonoa Teffo’s finding that former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and mental health director Makgabo Manemela were negligent in causing the deaths of nine Life Esidimeni patients.
According to Teffo, Mahlangu terminated the Life Esidimeni contract despite warnings by experts, and effectively “created the circumstances in which the deaths were inevitable.”
This is a severe indictment that should lead to culpable homicide charges against Mahlangu and Manamela.
It is a pity that the lack of autopsies for the other Esidimeni deaths precluded a firm negligence finding for the other deaths.