Families of Life Esidimeni victims welcome NPA decision to consider legal opinion and commission recommendations on possible criminal prosecutions

After almost 10 year, the families of those who died in the Life Esidimeni tragedy might finally see justice. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has received a legal opinion recommending the prosecution of former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and former director of mental health in Gauteng, Dr Makgabo Manamela, for the deaths of two mental healthcare users in the Life Esidimeni tragedy. The families of those who suffered and lost their lives during the saga say they met with Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Marika Jansen van Vuuren on Monday, 18 August to inform them of the development. In 2016, at least 144 mental healthcare patients died when the termination of the Gauteng Department of Health's contract with long-term psychiatric care hospital Life Esidimeni resulted in more than 1,400 patients being moved to ill-equipped and unlicensed non-government organisations. Bongiwe Zwane spoke to Executive Director at SECTION27, Sasha Stevenson