The transfer of mental patients from the Life Esidimeni facility to local NGOs was too rushed and without considering of their best interest, the Pretoria High Court heard.
The transfer of mental patients from the Life Esidimeni facility to local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) was too rushed and without considering of their best interest, the Pretoria High Court heard on Friday.
The marathon move resulted in the deaths of 144 people in 2016.
The inquest into the tragedy heard testimony from the former nursing manager at Life Esidimeni Zanele Buthelezi, who used to work at the Life Esidimeni Waverley Care Centre.
Buthelezi said she believed the transfers were “rush rush” and also revealed that about 60% of their patients were not dischargeable, or suitable for placement in NGOs.
“We pointed out to them that specific [mental healthcare users] were prone to relapsing and were thus not suited to be placed in an NGO. They needed a structured environment. We had [mental healthcare users] that were just not dischargeable at all and not withstanding our remonstrations, they were discharged,” she said.
Buthelezi said that the task of reducing patients at the facility proved difficult, as there were many issues regarding the transfer of patients.
This included the refusal by some patients’ families to allow the transfers, and the “arrogance” of former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu when meeting with the families.
Buthelezi also told the court that the admission criteria for some of the NGOs were never sent to them, and there were some NGOs on the list “that I had never heard of since my appointment in 1990”.
“There was also no history of transferring patients to these new NGOs.
“There was no direct information of the NGOs and their level of resources (doctors, professional social workers and care workers),” she said.
The High Court in Pretoria is investigating who should be held criminally liable for the deaths of 144 patients after they were moved from Life Esidimeni Group health facilities in 2016.
Patients who were transferred later died. Their deaths were attributed to negligence, lack of food, dehydration and ill-equipped facilities.
Political Bureau