MENTAL health patients admitted to Ubuhle Benkosi NGO were not in compliance with the licence issued.
This is what the Life Esidimeni Inquest heard on Thursday, 9 June.
It was further brought to the attention of the Pretoria High Court that patients were moved three times following their transfer from Life Esidimeni facilities.
Patricia Mbatsha, who ran the NGO, took to the stand yesterday.
She told the court that in the first three months, the facility had no financial support from the Gauteng Department of Health.
Asked how the lack of financial support affected the care of patients, Mbatsha refused to respond.
Mbatsha, who is a qualified nurse, had a licence which permitted her to only receive and care for not more than 20 patients and below the ages of 60.
Her facility was not equipped to care for the elderly and frail patients with severe intellectual disabilities. But during the Marathon Project, which led to the deaths of 144 mental patients, Mbatsha received 40 male mental health patients, some old and frail, she testified.
Mbatsha said she moved patients three times to various areas in an attempt to provide better care.
She said the department was made aware of these moves and gave consent, while she waited for a valid licence.
“My licence did not permit me to have patients who are frail and with comorbidities,” said Mbatsha.
Three patients died at Ubuhle Benkosi home.
The inquest has been established to determine the cause of death of the patients, and whether anyone should be held criminally liable.
