JOHANNESBURG – Suspended Gauteng Director of Mental Health, Dr Makgabo Manamela faced a tough grilling at the Life Esidimeni arbitration on Thursday.

Previous witnesses blamed her for the fatal marathon project that moved several ill patients to NGOs.

However, she says it was a collective decision and she shouldn’t shoulder the responsibility alone.

Manamela disputes all the evidence presented so far before the Life Esidimeni Arbitration.

An argument broke out between Manamela and a lawyer for families of Life Esidimeni victims. 

Manamela was left scrambling under intense cross-examination at the Esedimeni arbitration hearings.

Manamela has acknowledged her department knew there weren’t enough beds for patients being moved to the Takalani facility.

She has explained why adult psychiatric patients were sent to a facility licensed to only accommodate children.

Manamela can’t explain why mental health patients died at NGOs.

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