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Gauteng health official concedes Esidimeni process was flawed

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A senior Gauteng Mental Health services official has told the Life Esidimeni hearing that she continued compiling licenses given to NGO’s without vetting or auditing them.

Deputy Director-General responsible for NGO’s Hannah Jacobus  says she was following instructions from former Mental Health Director Dr Makgabo Manamela who resigned as a Gauteng government employee on Wednesday.

Jacobus says this apparent fraudulent activity was done due to the tight deadlines to the imminent closure of Life Esidimeni and the subsequent transfer of patients to NGO’s.

Arbitrator, retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, took Jacobus to task on her admission that legislation was flouted.

“After 30 years in the department, I’m asking you, you’re a very senior official in there. Why didn’t you tell her this is unlawful and it’s going to cause possible death of people and I won’t do it?” Moseneke asked.

She responded, “At first, I did refuse. I discussed and she says there’s no other way we can do it.”

Moseneke pressed further, “And you falsely, fraudulently, knowingly caused the licenses to be issued?”

“It was an instruction, Justice. I did not have much of an option,” she said.

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