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The DA welcomes the announcement today by Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, that an Ad Hoc Independent Tribunal will be appointed to process appeals relating to the Health Ombudsman, Dr Malegapuru Makgoba’s, report into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of more than a hundred mentally ill patients in Gauteng.

The DA believes that this tribunal, to be headed by retired Judge President of the Gauteng High Court, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, will be an important step towards ensuring that those who are responsible for this tragedy are held to account.

The Esidimeni deaths mark a dark moment in our country’s history and we must ensure that this tragedy is never repeated again.

More than a hundred vulnerable psychiatric patients died from starvation, dehydration and general neglect last year, when the Gauteng Health Department ended its contract with Life Esidimeni and transferred the patients to unregistered NGO’s to save money.

The DA hopes that, above all, justice will prevail for the families and victims that so tragically and unnecessarily lost their lives.

Issued by DA