The Life Esidimeni arbitration was delayed for weeks to hear Gauteng's former health MEC testify. Under cross-examination on Monday, in front of the families of 143 dead psychiatric patients, she wavered between ignorance, half-truths and deception. By GREG NICOLSON.
Qedani Mahlangu claimed to have acted swiftly after she was told in September 2016 that 36 patients had died after being moved from Life Esidimeni to NGOs across Gauteng. She announced the deaths in the provincial legislature on 13 September (she was wrong: 85 patients had, in fact, already died) and said she had contacted the health ombudsman on 14 September requesting he investigate.
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