Former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu responsible for Life Esidimeni, court rules

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has ruled that some of the deaths at Life Esidimeni were due to negligence on the part of the province’s former Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu.

Judge Mmonoa Teffo delivered her findings into the Life Esidimeni inquest on Wednesday.

She ruled that Mahlangu, former director of Gauteng’s mental health services, Dr Makgabo Manamela and Dorothy Franks, who ran non-governmental organisation (NGO) Anchor Home, were responsible for the deaths of nine patients.

ALSO READ: Esidimeni families relive tragedy of 144 deaths

The Life Esidimeni inquest investigated the deaths of 144 mental health patients to determine if anyone can be held criminally liable for the 2016 tragedy.

The patients died following their relocation, which was a result of the termination of a contract, from the Life Esidimeni facilities to various NGOs.

Watch the proceedings below:

This is a developing story