-
Life Esidimeni families picketing outside the NPA offices.
Calls for broader accountability have emerged following the decision by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to pursue criminal charges in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
141 mental healthcare patients died in 2015 and 2016 after being transferred from Life Esidimeni to unregistered and ill-equipped NGOs.
Families and opposition parties say full criminal accountability is essential to ensure justice and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Democratic Alliance Shadow MEC for Health in Gauteng, Jack Bloom, says all those implicated should face prosecution.
“It’s really long overdue, and we look forward to the charges and to them appearing in court. And, you know, I hope it’s culpable homicide because that’s really what was happening. So, we hope that Qedani Mahlangu is indeed prosecuted, and that would be a very good precedent, I must tell you, because you know, too often politicians get off and the officials are scapegoated and take the full blame when someone like the health MEC should be held accountable as well.”
Bloom elaborates below:
