A former South African health official has apologised for the deaths of 143 mentally disabled patients that occurred while she was in office.

Qedani Mahlangu was the top provincial health official when more than a thousand patients from a facility called Life Esidimeni were moved to privately-run care facilities - patients died of hunger and neglect.

More than 50 are still missing, and their families want answers.

Al Jazeera's Tania Page reports from Johannesburg, South Africa.