Gauteng strapped to pay compensation

THE Gauteng government is facing the massive headache of choosing which projects and services to sacrifice to honour the multimillion-rand Life Esidimeni tragedy compensation order.

This after retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke presented his final report on the Alternative Dispute Resolution and awarded more than R250 million to 144 family members of psychiatric patients who died when they were moved from Life Esidimeni facilities to unregistered NGOs.

The compensation will also be awarded to about 68 survivors of the so-called Gauteng mental health marathon project. Moseneke awarded each family R1m for constitutional damages, R180 000 for trauma and shock and R20 000 for funeral expenses, all of which should be paid in three months.

The money excludes the claimants’ legal fees and counselling, which are expected to also run into millions. Moseneke also ordered for the erection of a monument to remember the victims.

The arbitration process has already cost Premier David Makhura’s office R47m to cover venue costs, video production, transportation of families, lawyers and sign language and interpretation services.

Provincial government spokesperson Thabo Masebe welcomed Moseneke’s award and said his office had long prepared for the outcome.

However, despite their preparations, Masebe said, they would have to consult with the provincial Treasury and then adjust their budget to meet Moseneke’s ruling.

“We will have to have a budget adjustment to find the money within government,” Masebe said. The R28m initially budgeted for had been a provisional allocation, he added.