Former leader for the Life Esidimeni Transfer Project, Levy Mosenogi says engagements between former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and families of Life Esidimeni health care users were at times characterised by anger and dissolution.
He was testifying at the inquest into deaths of 144 Life Esidimeni psychiatric patients that is under way in the Pretoria High Court.
Mosenogi is the fourth witness to testify on the transfer of mentally challenged patients from Life Esidimeni centers to other facilities.
The facilities were ultimately shut down by Mahlangu.
Mosenogi says families and employees at Life Esidimeni were unhappy with the relocations.
“It was tough even for me, so when the MEC came in she decided to take over the chair, she could see that I wasn’t coping. The people were not satisfied with the closure of Waverly. They raised issues and the MEC responded but they were not happy with the response. They didn’t like the responses. There were so many issues raised. They were not happy about the closure of the facility. It was very tough. People were complaining and raising their voices.”
Deputy Director-General of Clinical Services in the Gauteng Health Department, Doctor Richard Lebethe testified before the inquest on Tuesday:
