It’s been five years since former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke released a damning report into the Life Esidimeni matter – one of the most shocking and tragic events in SA’s democratic history.
Moseneke found that the deaths of 144 mental health patients, initially placed under the care of Life Esidimeni facilities but later transferred to non-governmental organisations, was as a result of “irrational and arrogant use of public power”.
This was because the NGOs were not properly equipped to care for them.
Last month an inquiry in the Pretorial high court began a quest to unearth the truth as to who should be held criminally liable for the negligence that led to the horrific deaths. Former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu whom under her watch the tragedy occurred when a decision was taken to terminate the Life Esidimeni contract, finally gave her testimony after many delays.
Two significant witnesses took the stand in the high court this week – former finance MEC Barbara Creecy and former Gauteng premier David Makhura. Both denied earlier claims by Mahlangu that the cause of the transfer of patients was owing to budget cuts and a decision taken by premier’s budget committee.
The evidence of both Creecy and Makhura did not only contradict Mahlangu’s version on the rationale behind the transfer of patients that led to the tragedy but equally rubbished her claims on who took the decision.
Creecy took the inquiry through budget allocations for the Gauteng health department during the relevant years, which showed how the department had instead underspend its budget. Makhura testified that Mahlangu and her team made presentations to the committee about the decision to transfer patients and downplayed the deaths of mental health patients at NGOs in previous years as “normal”.
Granted this is evidence that is yet to be tested during the trial, but it should offer a glimmer of hope to the families of the deceased who have waited for those whose neglect caused them so much heartache to account.
Whatever outcome the inquiry will come to at the end, we hope it will give further impetus to the quest for justice for the families of the 144 victims. The nation is still waiting for the truth.
SOWETAN | Let justice end misery of Esidimeni
Image: Gallo Images / Alet Pretorius
It’s been five years since former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke released a damning report into the Life Esidimeni matter – one of the most shocking and tragic events in SA’s democratic history.
Moseneke found that the deaths of 144 mental health patients, initially placed under the care of Life Esidimeni facilities but later transferred to non-governmental organisations, was as a result of “irrational and arrogant use of public power”.
This was because the NGOs were not properly equipped to care for them.
Last month an inquiry in the Pretorial high court began a quest to unearth the truth as to who should be held criminally liable for the negligence that led to the horrific deaths. Former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu whom under her watch the tragedy occurred when a decision was taken to terminate the Life Esidimeni contract, finally gave her testimony after many delays.
Two significant witnesses took the stand in the high court this week – former finance MEC Barbara Creecy and former Gauteng premier David Makhura. Both denied earlier claims by Mahlangu that the cause of the transfer of patients was owing to budget cuts and a decision taken by premier’s budget committee.
The evidence of both Creecy and Makhura did not only contradict Mahlangu’s version on the rationale behind the transfer of patients that led to the tragedy but equally rubbished her claims on who took the decision.
Creecy took the inquiry through budget allocations for the Gauteng health department during the relevant years, which showed how the department had instead underspend its budget. Makhura testified that Mahlangu and her team made presentations to the committee about the decision to transfer patients and downplayed the deaths of mental health patients at NGOs in previous years as “normal”.
Granted this is evidence that is yet to be tested during the trial, but it should offer a glimmer of hope to the families of the deceased who have waited for those whose neglect caused them so much heartache to account.
Whatever outcome the inquiry will come to at the end, we hope it will give further impetus to the quest for justice for the families of the 144 victims. The nation is still waiting for the truth.
Mahlangu told me that number of patient deaths was ‘normal’, David Makhura tells Life Esidimeni inquest
'We didn't make them cut the contract or budget' — Barbara Creecy at Life Esidimeni inquest
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