A WARRANT of arrest has been issued for the former Gauteng head of the mental health directorate, Dr Makgabo Manamela.
However, it’s been held over until September 14.
This comes after Manamela failed to appear before the Life Esidimeni Inquest numerous times to give evidence.
On Wednesday, 7 September, the Pretoria High Court where the Inquest is sitting authorised the warrant of arrest, after Manamela’s legal team submitted that Manamela was sick and provided her medical note.
The presiding Judge, Mmonoa Teffo, said Manamela’s sick note was not a conclusive proof, however, the court had accepted it.
Manamela was expected to begin her cross-examination in August and the matter was postponed to 5 September. Through her legal team, Manamela said she wasn’t ready and needed more time to prepare.
On the first day of her cross-examination, Manamela’s legal team, once again requested for another week postponement which was rejected by the court.
The court then ordered Manamela to return the next day.
A medical note was then provided to the court, which indicated she had been booked off for a week.
Earlier in the day, Advocate Lawrence Hodes, who’s representing former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, accused Manamela of manipulating the court system.
Hodes pointed out that Manamela allegedly behaved in the same manner when she was subpoenaed to testify before the Life Esidimeni Arbitration chaired by retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke and, subsequently a warrant of her arrest was issued in 2017.
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He said: “This is a replay of what happened in the arbitration. This witness has done this before. She is manipulating the whole system.”
Before the ruling, Teffo expressed great frustration in the manner in which the matter was unfolding.
Teffo said the court was not aware that Manamela had done this before.
She said: “These delays are messing everything around. We all want the finalisation to this matter.”
Manamela’s attorney, Advocate Russel Sibara argued that her client was singled out from the previous witnesses who also fell sick and her right to medical privacy has been compromised.
Sibara said he would file a formal application to move the proceedings from the public platform, away from the media to protect the privacy of his client.
Manamela’s testimony was expected to shed some light
on the transfer of mental health patients from Life Esidimeni facilities to NGOs, as well as the decision to terminate the Life Esidimeni service contract with the Gauteng Department of Health.
The proceedings have been adjourned until 12 September for the cross-examination of the former Gauteng head of department, Dr Barney Selebano.
