President Ramaphosa embraces Esidimeni MEC
12 March 2018
I am appalled that President Cyril Ramaphosa has embraced former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu who was responsible for the deaths of 144 Life Esidimeni patients.
Mahlangu was with ANC leaders including Gauteng Premier David Makhura and former Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau who joined him for his healthy lifestyle walk on Saturday.
Ramaphosa warmly embraced Mahlangu and said that she should not be rejected as she had been held accountable, first by resigning and then by appearing before the arbitration hearings headed by former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke.
He said: “Qedani Mahlangu, like any other South African, is a person who must be treated as a citizen of this country. She is a comrade and whatever we have done, it does not mean we have to treat people with hatred and rejection and with total disdain.”
Ramaphosa’s embrace of Mahlangu is grossly insensitive to the memory of those who died.
She has still not accepted full accountability for the Esidimeni deaths, shifting the blame onto officials.
Despite all the Esidimeni horrors, the ANC still treats her as a comrade and she remains a member of the ANC’s Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee. After all this time, the ANC’s Integrity Committee has still not made a finding against her in this matter.
True justice will only be served when Mahlangu appears in court on charges that should include culpable homicide and even murder.
Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 12 March 2018
