Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu maintains she was assured by senior officials that NGOs were well-capacitated and had been provided with the necessary training to care for mentally ill patients.
This was in response to persistent questions as to why she did not take heed of a letter she received from the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag).
After doing its own investigation, Sadag raised red flags that neither the state hospitals nor the NGOs that were going to receive mentally ill patients were ready.
Mahlangu is being cross-examined over her role in the deaths of 143 mentally ill patients at the Life Esidimeni hearings in Johannesburg.
Earlier, Mahlangu complained of what she called unnecessary harassment by the State.
She says as she was perusing over documents, there was a drone hovering over her house on Tuesday.
Watch Qedani Mahlangu’s cross examination:
