Esidimeni update: Resignation of Health MEC ‘not enough’
The DA calls for criminal charges and the resignation of the Premier following report about the deaths of 94 psychiatric patients.
Qedani Mahlangu, Gauteng Health MEC, has resigned following a report about the deaths of 94 psychiatric patients. However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for more steps to be taken.
The report revealed that 94 patients had died, not 36 as Mahlangu said last year. Premier David Makhura stated outright that information had been withheld, and fraud and corruption were at play.
He further said he would be implementing all recommendations made by Professor Malegapuru Makgoba, the Health Ombudsman, who probed the matter.
Even though Mahlangu has resigned and may face criminal charges along with 11 other officials and five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) where most of the patients died, Jack Bloom, the DA Shadow MEC for Health is not happy.
Bloom criticised Mahlangu’s replacement, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa. He said Ramokgopa was mediocre when she held the position before and did not have the drive to fix “this deeply dysfunctional department”.
Regarding Makhura, Bloom said he too should resign for failure to prevent further deaths by not firing Mahlangu when the matter was first brought to his attention, and for not properly monitoring the situation.
On the matter of Mahlangu’s resignation, the ANC Gauteng said it welcomed the Ombudsman’s findings and the Department of Health’s policy to de-institutionalise psychiatric patients should have been better implemented.
On Thursday, 2 February the DA held a candle-light vigil for the 94 patients who died as a result of negligence by top health officials as well as unsuitable NGOs. The vigil was held outside Makhura’s office in Johannesburg.
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