Lobby group Section27 says it hopes the inquest into the deaths of 144 Life Esidimeni mentally ill patients will not be further delayed.
The inquest has been postponed until August 30 to give parties who have just obtained legal representation to familiarise themselves with the proceedings.
This is the second time in as many weeks that the inquest is being postponed for consultations.
The inquest is seeking to determine if anyone should be criminally charged for the deaths which happened after the Gauteng Department of Health transferred mentally ill patients from Life Esidimeni to ill-equipped facilities to save costs.
Section27’s Tumi Masipa says the inquest should get underway.
“We really hope that this postponement will be the last one and will prevent further delays. It is really important that at the end of this inquest families can know that the people who were responsible for the deaths of their loved ones are held personally accountable.”
“So we are hoping that at the end of this inquest there will be enough evidence. Then [the] NPA can decide to individually charge those key persons of interest,” adds Masipa.
Legal representation for former Head of Gauteng Health Makgabo Manamela to challenge Justice Moseneke’s arbitration report:
