The Gauteng government says it’s still verifying the new claims it has received from some of the families of the victims in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
People who claim that they have not been compensated for the loss of their loved ones are protesting outside Gauteng premier David Makhura’s office in Johannesburg.
About 144 mentally-ill patients died in 2016 after being moved from Esidimeni to ill-equipped NGOs. This after the Gauteng Health Department terminated its contract with the Life Esidimeni group to cut costs.
In June the Gauteng government paid compensation to about 134 families according to the order of the chairperson of the Esidimeni Inquiry – retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Mosekene.
Gauteng government spokesperson Thabo Masebe says, “We had a meeting with them on Saturday where we explained where we are in terms of the new claims that we’ve received. We are now in the verification process to establish whether they are the rightful people to make the claims before we can make payments. This is a legal requirement and is being done by the Master of the court. Once that is done we will process the payments.”
Monday would be the D-day for all outstanding compensation payouts. In June, the Gauteng government compensated about 134 families.
It is currently dealing with 200 new claims.
In March this year, Moseneke ordered government to pay the families of all Life Esidimeni patients from R1.2 million each.
Rashieda Landis is the protest organiser and parent of a surviving life Esidimeni patient.
“The DG clearly stated that she could put her head on the block that December 10 is D date for payment. That is why we are going there today to find out whether today is the D date or what is there tactics again. It’s going to be a silent protest inside and outside the premier’s office. We decided collectively as surviving parents and deceased parents that we are going to be there in numbers.”
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