Manamela to be issued with suspended warrant of arrest
Gauteng's suspended mental health director, Doctor Makgabo
Manamela, was set to continue testifying before the Life Esidimeni Arbitration
Hearings, but was a no-show on Tuesday.
Retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke has since decided that a suspended warrant of arrest should be issued against Manamela.
Manamela called in sick at the eleventh hour.
Her lawyer, Lerato Mashilane, says his client was ill.
Manamela was one of the key figures in the 2016 Life Esidimeni tragedy, which claimed the lives of 143 people.
The psychiatric patients died after being transferred from the Life Esidimeni facility to various NGOs across Gauteng.
Mashilane says: "I have been informed that my client will be here on Thursday. A medical certificate will be given before this arbitration."
Solidarity says it is unacceptable that Manamela failed to appear before the hearings as required on Tuesday.
Solidarity's Dirk Groenewald, who represents the families, says there is no evidence to suggest Manamela was really ill.
Moseneke says Manamela's subpoena requires her to be at proceedings at 09:30 every day.
"We have an undertaking that Manamela will be here on Thursday 23 November. Section27 will take care of issuing of stayed warrant of arrest."
WATCH #LifeEsidimeni families outside singing "uManamela akaguli (Manamela is not sick)" @Slindelo_M pic.twitter.com/TmaulVvkxv
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) November 21, 2017
#LifeEsidimeni Families who lost loved ones say Manamela thinks they are fools. SM pic.twitter.com/BIF3BRqO3N
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) November 21, 2017