THE former head of mental health, Dr Makgabo Manamela’s legal team has been accused of delaying the conclusion of the Life Esidimeni Inquest.
Manamela, who was expected to testify before the Life Esidimeni Inquest on Monday, 5 September, once again asked for more time to prepare.
Through her legal team, Manamela said she was being referred to as a “murderer” and needed to clear her name.
She said an impression has been created that the termination of the Life Esidimeni contract was her project.
However, the application to postpone Manamela’s cross-examination for another week was rejected by the Pretoria High Court, where the Life Esidimeni is sitting.
Last month, Manamela’s legal team was granted a postponement following their application that they needed time to prepare.
In their request for another postponement, Manamela’s attorney, Advocate Ndivhoniswani Makhani, stated that they needed to upload Manamela’s statements explaining her version of events and should be granted an opportunity to fully prepare.
Makhani proposed that the former head of Gauteng Department of Health, Dr Barney Selebano, who is scheduled to testify after Manamela, go first.
He said: “Dr Manamela indicated that she has been referred to as a murderer and wants to be fully heard.
With the refusal of this postponement, the applicant will be the one to suffer prejudice.”
Advocate Craig Watt-Pringle, who is representing Selebano, said his client would not be called first as a particular order for key witnesses to give evidence was agreed upon months ago.
He said Manamela’s legal team has not shown any basis for the postponement.
He said: “There is a complete absence of explanation as to why they should be given postponement. She had adequate time to prepare and would seem that she and her legal team had not used that time to prepare.
“They had ample time to update their notes. If they had prepared earlier, they would not have a difficulty now. It’s not necessarily about prejudice to other parties. It is prejudicial for this matter to be scheduled and postponed, because they haven’t had their acts together. It’s costly and delays this matter.”
More submissions from other legal representatives involved in this matter shared the same sentiments with Watt-Pringle.
Advocate Ebenezer Prophy, who represents three NGOs, said: “The prejudice that the NGOs will suffer is that the more we postpone this matter, the eventuality is that the NGOs will then put their hands up and become unrepresented because they can’t afford the postponements.”
Ruling on the matter, presiding Judge Mmonoa Teffo said Manamela’s legal team was given sufficient time.
“It is in the interest of everyone involved for the matter to be concluded. Further postponements in this matter will frustrate the proper running of this matter.
“I conclude that it is not in the interest of justice to grant this matter another postponement,” said Teffo.
