Gauteng's former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu recently returned to South Africa from London‚ where she is studying.

Mahlangu is expected to testify at the Esidimeni arbitration hearings on Monday.

The scandal happened under her watch and led to 143 deaths of mentally ill patients who had been moved into dodgy NGOs.

The publication has established that Mahlangu is back in the country.

Mahlangu's lawyer‚ Angelo Christophorou‚ had guaranteed she would testify and leave her course at the Global Banking School. He said last year that she was not "evading her responsibilities and has at all material times tendered to attend the arbitration".

Former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke said in October 2017 that he would not end the arbitration hearings until Mahlangu and other project leaders had testified.

"I have continually directed that steps must be taken so we have them here. We are not going to run out of time … unless I die‚" he quipped.

Gauteng's suspended head of health Barney Selebano and suspended director of mental health Makgabo Manamela resigned this week. Both were forced to testify after being subpoenaed and pointed to Mahlangu's involvement in the matter. The pair had been on full pay and suspension for nearly a year.

Mahlangu resigned in February 2017‚ just before the health ombudsman released his report into the scandal.

The Gauteng ANC Provincial Executive Committee admitted that they had given Mahlangu permission to study abroad and said that she remained part of the PEC.

"Comrade Qedani is still an elected member of the Provincial Executive Committee. The referral of her matter to the Provincial Integrity Committee is something that is being processed internally‚" the PEC said in a statement.