Gauteng government pays R405m to Life Esidimeni victims, families

The Gauteng government has paid more than R400m to victims of the Life Esidimeni tragedy seven years ago.

The 2016 tragedy involved the deaths of 144 people at psychiatric facilities in Gauteng after 1,500 mental health patients were moved from Life Esidimeni to unlicensed NGOs that failed to provide proper care.

The 144 died as a result of starvation, thirst and other factors.

In a report tabled last Friday at a meeting of the legislature’s health committee, the Gauteng government revealed R405m had been paid to those who had suffered from the tragedy.

“According to the report, 514 claims were received, of which 405 qualified to receive compensation of R1.2m each, split 50/50 between the families and the mental healthcare user if he or she is alive,” said the DA’s Jack Bloom.

“There were originally 134 claimants who received compensation from the arbitration presided over by justice Dikgang Moseneke in 2018. An additional 271 claimants have benefited from Moseneke’s recommendation that other victims should be paid compensation as well.”

Bloom said “further amounts can be expected to be paid as only 60 mental healthcare users have so far received their portion of the funds.

“The office of the premier has applied for curators to administer these funds, and law firms have been appointed to assist families with an executor for the deceased claims.”

Bloom lamented the lack of arrests made in connection with the deaths and maltreatment suffered by patients at the unlicensed NGOs. He said while the “payouts are necessary”, they “cannot fully compensate for the suffering and the loss of lives”.

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