Former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu has told a lawyer she will voluntarily testify at the Life Esidimeni hearings, but only in November or December, as she is currently writing exams.
The Life Esidimeni alternative dispute resolution is expected to wrap up its work currently under way in Parktown this Friday, but will resume at a later date to be announced by the arbitrator this week.
Deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke, who is heading the process, said this morning the hearing would not conclude until Mahlangu, who was MEC at the time, suspended HOD Dr Barney Selebano and director of mental health Makgabo Manamela give their testimony.
TimesLive is reporting that Adv Tebogo Hutamo told the arbitration hearing that the state had made contact with Mahlangu and she could not attend now, as she was writing exams‚ but would come in November or December.
READ MORE: Former health MEC Mahlangu willing to appear at Esidimeni hearings
It is not entirely clear if London School of Economic PhD students write postgraduate exams in November.
Aine Duffy, the head of external communications at London School of Economic and Political Science, refused to divulge details of Mahlangu’s academic studies at the institution, saying: “I’m afraid I can’t assist with your queries, as we are unable to confirm or deny the registration status of individuals.”
When it was pointed out Mahlangu’s alleged unethical conduct had drawn widespread criticism in South Africa due to the gravity of the allegations and that the matter was in the public interest, as relatives were calling on the former MEC to be subpoenaed, Duffy would not budge.
“There is a legal duty under UK data protection legislation for us not to disclose registration status of individuals. You are welcome to use FOI to test disclosure under a public interest argument,” she wrote.
http://https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/da-lays-culpable-homicide-charge-qedani-mahlangu/
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