Johannesburg - Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu ignored impassioned pleas from her own staff not to forge ahead with the calamitous transfer of psychiatric patients from Life Esidimeni.
In documentary proof handed to health ombudsman, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, the project manager of mental health in Mahlangu’s department, Levy Mosenogi, detailed how he had pleaded for Life Esidimeni's contract to be extended.
This was in addition to a memo pointing out possible risks of the transfer written by clinicians to Mahlangu, head of department Dr Barney Selebano and director Makgabo Manamela.
He wrote an e-mail to Mahlangu in February last year requesting the extension of the contract by six months or a year to do better work on the facilities.
“I propose that the department seriously consider an extension, also to ensure the NGOs are trained and adjust to handling a variety of specialised patients.
"I have attached an alternative proposal as discussed with my principals and in principle agreed that it might be something we might have to look at as a department – procuring one or two facilities as back-up to the NGO-based model for sustainability purposes.”
Mosenogi was appointed by Mahlangu after managing another transfer project successfully. He established a project team and visited sites in Waverley, Randfontein and Baneng.
According to statements he made to Makgoba, he and Selebano concluded that to close Life Esidimeni and transfer patients rapidly “was not the correct decision”.
In his report on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 94 mentally ill patients who were transferred from Esidimeni, Makgoba found Mahlangu placed them in facilities that lacked basic competence.
He found that the patients died of starvation and lack of water in overcrowded conditions. Some of the NGOs did not have qualified staff, lacked safety and security and proper heating in winter. Mahlangu during the interview with Makgoba “acted puzzled that she appointed Mosenogi as project manager", according to the ombudsman’s findings.
“It was pointed out to her that most departmental staff were not happy with the decision and were fearful and warnings of consequences were not taken.” Makgoba said.
Selebano sent a memo to Makgoba claiming the decision to start de-institutionalising mental healthcare users from Esidimeni was undertaken by the office of Gauteng Premier David Makhura.
But according to Makgoba’s report Selebano also claimed the premier did not take the decision.
He said the number of fatalities was provisional as bodies remained unidentified in morgues and some families were still coming forward with the names of dead people.
His report is titled, No Guns: 94 silent deaths and still counting.