The DA has written a letter to justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola demanding to know why the state continues to pay legal fees for former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu in the Life Esidimeni inquest. 

In a letter sent to Lamola's office on Wednesday, DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach said: "It has come to my attention that former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu is having her legal fees paid by the State Attorney. This follows revelations that the Life Esidimeni inquest was delayed due to Mahlangu’s lawyers not yet having their legal fees paid by the State Attorney.

''I hereby request full reasons for why the State is continuing to pay for Mahlangu’s fees even though she resigned from her position in 2017, following revelations of the deaths of 144 mental health patients," said Breytenbach. 

She said it is estimated that the cost of Mahlangu’s legal fees have been reported to be R250,000 per day. 

"Should this be true, this would amount to an immense burden on the fiscus of the state," said Breytenbach.

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi's spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said Mahlangu requested the provincial government to provide legal representation for her at the state’s expense after she was subpoenaed to appear at the inquiry. 

Mhaga said a legal opinion was sought from senior counsel whether Mahlangu should be provided with legal representation at state expense. 

 "The legal opinion concluded that the government must provide legal representation at state expense. The legal basis relied upon was the judgment of the full court.”

Mhaga said they then instructed the state attorney in Pretoria to deal with the matter.

DA shadow MEC for health in Gauteng Jack Bloom said it is unacceptable that the state continues to pay for Mahlangu's legal fees. 

"It is outrageous that taxpayers are paying for Mahlangu’s exorbitant legal fees when she is the prime culprit who pushed for 1,500 mental patients to be sent to NGOs that mistreated them. This is in addition to the R405m paid to patients and their families who suffered in this tragedy. 

"It looks like Mahlangu still has ANC friends who are happy to use public money to assist her. Why must taxpayers pay millions of rands for her legal costs? She should also be made to pay a portion of the pay-out costs to the Esidimeni victims, but the provincial government has refused to apply the Apportionment of Damages Act in this matter," said Bloom. 

kokam@sowetan.co.za