The Gauteng government’s Life Esidimeni bill is set to increase. It could eventually come in at close to R1 billion.
That’s after 200 new claims have been registered following the conclusion of the Arbitration hearings.
Retired deputy chief justice, Dikgang Moseneke, earlier in 2018 awarded compensation to the families of the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
Disturbing details at the Life Esidimeni Arbitration revealed how families lost their loved ones who were placed at unlawful NGOs.
About 144 of the patients paid the ultimate price but the pain and suffering of their families was eased in March when the Arbitrator made the award.
Moseneke announced the R20 000 for funeral costs, R180 000 for pain and suffering and R1 million for constitutional damages.
Now the Gauteng government will have to dig a bit deeper into its pockets, 200 new claimants have now come forward.
Gauteng provincial government spokesperson Thabo Masebe says:”We are currently verifying the claims; the first step that we have to do is to establish whether the people on whose behalf the said claims are indeed part of the Life Esidimeni mental health care users.”
About R159 million has already been paid out but the new claims could add another R239 million to the compensation costs.
The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) believes this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The DA’s Jack Bloom says:”The bill could be several hundreds of millions of rand if a few hundred more. Relatives apply for financial compensation and terms in of Judge Moseneke’s ruling R180 million each that they could get now.”
The department admits that they have not budgeted for the 200 new Esidimeni compensation claims.
But says it will meet its pay-out obligations.
Masebe adds:”We have to find the money it would be up to the MEC for finance to find that money, one of the things that could be considered would be top slicing all departments to raise their additional money that is required.”
In the meantime, the families will have to wait for their claims to be properly processed and finalised.
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