The decision of Former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke in the Life Esidimeni arbitration is an important landmark following more than two years of resistance, negotiation, confrontation, heart break and horror, writes Section27 attorney.

Following a litany of lies, “murderous” decisions, agonising deaths and torturous transfers, an amount of R1.2-million will now be paid to each of the families affected by the Gauteng Department of Health’s decision to move mentally ill patients out of Life Esidimeni facilities.

Families of the 140-plus psychiatric patients who died after being moved from Life Esidimeni facilities to irregularly registered non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have suffered so much that some themselves are now dying.

The first day of former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu’s testimony at the Life Esidimeni arbitration hearings has left families disgruntled, angry and with more questions than answers.

Here, Health-e has only profiled 10 former Life Esidimeni (LE) patients, and the circumstances around their deaths, but it provides a glimpse into the dignity denied to both mental health care users and their families before, during and after the fatal move.

No action has been taken against 11 health officials implicated in Esidimeni crisis, former Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu who made the decision that led to 141 deaths remains illusive and the “bankrupt” Gauteng Health Department is currently unable to fund a compensation ruling.

A family member of a patient who died in the Life Esidimeni tragedy has suggested amnesty be given to implicated non-governmental organisation (NGO) officials in the interests of “getting answers”.