Families of Life Esidimeni victims want justice for their loved ones

Lawyers representing the families of the victims of the Life Esidimeni tragedy have called for a thorough and fair investigation that satisfies the public.

The inquest into the deaths of at least 144 mentally ill patients after they were moved to ill-equipped NGOs by the Gauteng Department of Health in 2016 kicked off in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday.

Judge Mmonoa Teffo, who is the presiding officer, has been tasked with determining whether anyone should be held criminally liable.

It’s been five years since at least 144 mentally ill patients died during the department’s so called marathon project and their families are yet to see any kind of justice for those responsible.

Section 27 is representing 44 families who were directly affected.

The lobby group’s advocate Adila Hassim said the inquest was not a trial but a fact-finding mission to hold implicated individuals criminally liable.

“All this court required to determine at this stage is whether there is prima facie evidence before it upon which a reasonable person might convict a person of an offence arising from some or all of the debts of the named deceased.”

At the heart of this inquest are three former provincial health department heads, former MEC Qedani Mahlangu, head of department Dr Barney Selebano and head of mental health Dr Makgabo Manamela.

The trio could face charges including culpable homicide, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and the contravention of the Mental Health Act.

SADAG: WE WARNED THE DEPT

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) has told the High Court in Pretoria it warned the Gauteng Department of Health against the transfer of mentally ill patients to NGOs but their concerns were ignored.

Sadag’s Cassandra Chambers was the first witness in the Life Esidimeni Inquest Inquiry.

She said despite a number of warnings from the group, the department went ahead with the disastrous transfer of mentally ill patients.

“We also had these family members report these issues directly to the Gauteng Department of Health in numerous ways, from phoning the helpline to admitting letters.”

Chambers said the project lacked direction from the onset.

“These were patients that were doing well in a facilities and were moved to NGOs that couldn’t take care of them and they starved.”

She’s told the court in some instances adult patients were moved to NGOs that specialized in taking care of children, putting their health and wellbeing at risk.

-EWN

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