Life Esidimeni families call on new NPA boss to prosecute officials responsible for deaths

The Life Esidimeni Family Committee is calling on the yet-to-be-appointed acting head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to push on with the task of prosecuting those responsible for the deaths of mentally ill patients.

In an open letter‚ the committee welcomed Monday's Constitutional Court judgment‚ which set aside the appointment of Shaun Abrahams as the head of the prosecuting authority.

The letter reads as follows:

For us‚ this decision is long overdue. For five months‚ Mr. Abrahams did nothing about the findings by retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke that key individuals in the Gauteng provincial government were responsible for the death of at least 144 people and the torture of an additional 1‚418.

We plead with you - as the new acting head of the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions [NDPP] - to intervene‚ and to intervene quickly.

To remind you: no criminal action has been taken against the three key people involved‚ even though they were clearly identified by Mr. Moseneke as being responsible for this tragedy:

- The former MEC for Health in Gauteng‚ Qedani Mahlangu - The former Director of Mental Health in Gauteng‚ Makgabo Manamela. - The former Head of the Department of Health in Gauteng‚ Barney Selebano.

We find this totally unacceptable and call on you to act‚ and to act now.

In case we need to remind you: Judge Moseneke found that the government officials concerned had acted in “blatant breach of the law and the constitution”.

He said the decision to end the Life Esidimeni contract and move patients without regard for their well-being was “irrational”. He also said the mass discharge of patients was “torture”.

But despite all this‚ the NDPP has failed to act - whether it is against Mahlangu‚ Manamela and Selebano‚ or against the NGO owners‚ social workers‚ administrators and many unnamed officials who still occupy positions within the Gauteng provincial department.

We know for a fact that all the evidence presented before the arbitration hearings has been made available to SAPS. This was done on instruction of retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke.

We know for a fact that 45 inquest dockets have been sent to the NDPP by SAPS. This has been confirmed by SAPS spokesman Brigadier Vish Naidoo.

All we are waiting for is for the NDPP to do the right thing: to press criminal charges against all those involved.

There can be no doubt that your directorate has the authority to do so. The NPA’s responsibility is clearly outlined in Section 179 of the constitution of the Republic of South Africa‚ and its mandate is outlined in the NPA Act 1998 (Act No. 32 of 1998). These clearly state that you have the power to institute and conduct criminal proceedings on behalf of the state and to carry out any necessary functions incidental to instituting and conducting such criminal proceedings (this includes investigations).

Despite this‚ there are no visible signs at all that the NPA has done anything about this case‚ for five whole months. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And we will not allow this particular injustice - which affects the lives of the vulnerable and the poor - to go unpunished.

Through your failure to act‚ we believe the NPA has abandoned its core responsibility and functions - and in doing so‚ has spectacularly failed the families affected by the Life Esidimeni tragedy‚ and the South African public as a whole.

We believe there is a trend in South African society to avoid holding public officials accountable for their wrongdoing.

We refuse to let the NDPP endorse that trend‚ and we demand that this case is made a priority - and that all those involved are brought to book.

We therefore request an urgent meeting to update you on this matter‚ and to ensure it gets the attention it deserves.