  Gauteng Gauteng (South Africa) | |
| Time | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Location | Life Esidimeni and various unlicensed suburban residences |
| Cause | Starvation, neglect. Mentally ill patients moved to improper care institutions. |
| Casualties | |
| 144 people died | |
| 1500+ state patients were affected | |
The Life Esidimeni tragedy involved the deaths of 144 people[1][2] at psychiatric facilities in the Gauteng province of South Africa from causes including starvation and neglect. The tragedy takes its name from Life Esidimeni, a subsidiary of Life Healthcare, the private healthcare provider from which some 1 500 state patients were removed in the first half of 2016. The patients were relocated to cheaper care centres, many of which were later found to be unlicensed and grossly under-resourced. The incident has been called "the greatest cause of human rights violation" in democratic South Africa,[3] and stimulated discussion about the care of psychiatric and other state patients.[4][5][6] As of 2021, no criminal charges had been laid against any individuals involved, but a judicial inquest into the deaths was ongoing. In 2024, a judge ruled that former MEC Qedani Mahlangu and Makgoba Manamela (former head of mental health in Gauteng) could be prosecuted for the deaths of the patients.
- ^ Mahlati, Zinhle (13 September 2021). "Life Esidimeni Inquest - September 13, 2021". IOL. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ Nicolson, Greg (3 April 2021). "Five years on, the pain of Life Esidimeni continues". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ Bornman, Jan (9 October 2017). "Life Esidimeni: The greatest cause of human right violations since democracy". News24. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ Ferlito, B A; Dhai, A (27 February 2018). "The Life Esidimeni tragedy: Some ethical transgressions". South African Medical Journal. 108 (3): 157. doi:10.7196/SAMJ.2018.v108i3.13012. ISSN 2078-5135. PMID 30004355.
- ^ Durojaye, Ebenezer; Agaba, Daphine Kabagambe (16 November 2018). "Contribution of the Health Ombud to Accountability: The Life Esidimeni Tragedy in South Africa". Health and Human Rights. 20 (2): 161–168. PMC 6293341. PMID 30568410. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ Ornellas, Abigail (2018). "The Life Esidimeni crisis: why a neoliberal agenda leaves no room for the mentally ill". Social Work. 54 (3): 296–308. doi:10.15270/54-3-650. S2CID 59386600.