JOHANNESBURG- Retired chief justice Dikang Mosenke has ordered Gauteng government pay over R1.2 million in common law and constitutional damages to the families of psychiatric patients who died and those who survived after being moved from Life Esidimeni facilities.
He announced his decision earlier on Monday, the announcement brought an end to the arbitration hearings.
The Life Esidimeni tragedy where over 140 mentally ill patients died due to the ill treatment and the decision by the Gauteng health department to move them to ill-equipped NGO’s in 2016, the arbitration hearings were to find any sort of accountability and answers.
Mosenke did not agree with the reasons given by former Gauteng Health senior officials Qedani Mahlangu, Doctor Barney Selebano and Doctor Makgabo Manalema, he said they were a fabrication of the facts behind the decision to terminate the contract with Life Esidimeni.
He agreed with the health ombudsman findings that the move was irrational and negligent.
In his announcement he said, “The government is ordered to pay R180,000 to each of the claimants listed in annexures A, B and C in respect of general damages for shock and psychological trauma. The government is ordered to pay R1 million to each of the claimants listed in annexures A, B and C as appropriate relief and compensation.”
[BREAKING] #LifeEsidimeni Moseneke: 1. Government of SA is ordered to pay R20 000 for funeral expenses. 2. R180 000 for general damages for shock and psychological trauma 3. Pay R1 million to families of patients (irrespective of deceased or not). MR
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 19, 2018
[BREAKING] #LifeEsidimeni Moseneke says government must pay these amounts in lump sum, no later than three months from today. MR
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 19, 2018
[ALERT] #LifeEsidimeni Moseneke says he will donate all his arbitrator fee to law schools that will help nurture young women. MR
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 19, 2018
[ALERT] #LifeEsidimeni Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke says he declines to tell police what to do in terms of criminal charges. “My office has furnished police with all evidence”. MR
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 19, 2018
Photo Credit- eNCA
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