Retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke has ordered government to pay the victims of the Life Esidimeni one-point-two-million rand in total for a variety of violations, including constitutional damages.
Moseneke made the order Parktown Johannesburg a short while ago as part of redress for the deaths of 144 mentally-ill patients.
Earlier, Moseneke said that senior Gauteng health government officials could not substantiate the reasons they gave for terminating the long-standing contract with Life Esidimeni.
“The damning point is Dr Manamela, with the instructions, knowledge and support of Mahlangu and Selebano, devised a plan for the mass displacement of mental health care users frim Life Esidimeni. This they did without proper notice to and consent of the patients, let alone their families. All of this without prior continuous clinical assessment of the patients, without useful or any medical records, without access to clinical or other medical care and without access to prescribed medication.”
Gauteng Premier David Makhura says government will honour the award for victims of the Life Esidimeni tragedy, ordered by Retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke.
Makhura also says proper disciplinary steps will be taken against officials who have been implicated in the matter, including those who have resigned:
“We will have to honour this. There is no question about it. We not going to leave any matter unattended to. All these issues, especially where there is criminal liability we are going to follow up on this. You can’t discipline a government official who has resigned, but you can take steps including making sure that they are criminally held liable for this. The MEC for health who is the relevant authority to institute disciplinary process has re-ordered a new disciplinary inquiry.”
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Families welcome Justice Moseneke’s report…
