Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu would not commit to offering financial assistance to the families of the 36 psychiatric patients who died after they were transferred from Life Esidimeni facilities.
The patients were moved when the department decided to terminate its contract with private hospital group Life Healthcare in June last year.
Mahlangu was asked in the legislature yesterday whether the department would offer financial assistance to the families.
Instead of answering, Mahlangu requested speaker Ntombi Mekgwe to grant her permission not to reply to Jack Bloom's questions, arguing that she was waiting for the outcome of an investigation by the health ombudsman.
Mahlangu said she had made a "formal submission" to the ombudsman.
Bloom reiterated his call for Mahlangu to resign.
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