Maimane doesn’t support Cape premier’s stance

DA leader Mmusi Maimane has taken issue with Western Cape premier Helen Zille over her Twitter comment on the Life Esidimeni tragedy.

Maimane spoke to members of the media in Johannesburg yesterday during the unveiling of a plaque that was erected in memory of 144 psychiatric patients who died in the tragedy, to mark Human Rights Day.

Zille sparked outrage among Twitter followers for her comments on the tragedy after retired deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke, who chaired the Life Esidimeni arbitration hearings, announced a R1.2million award for each of the affected families.

“It is good that the families of the Life Esidimeni victims have received a measure of justice and compensation. I would like an answer to this question: What did they do, before these tragic deaths, to raise the alarm about their loved ones starving and living in profound neglect?” Zille posted.

Asked whether he believed Zille’s comment was out of line Maimane said: “I don’t stand with it. I don’t support it.”

He said he believed people were entitled to their opinions, however he stood with the families that had suffered through the ordeal.

“They have an opinion and they have a view on that issue and they must express it. But ultimately I stand with those who say the families of those who were left behind understood the pain that they went through,” Maimane said.

The gold plaque was unveiled at the Talisman Foundation that cares for about 200 mentally ill patients.

“In loving memory of the victims of the Life Esidimeni Tragedy. Never Again shall the rights of mental healthcare patients be denied,” a message on the plaque reads.

Maimane said they decided to erect the structure in honour of the institution for the great work they are doing in caring for psychiatrist patients.

Val Cook, who manages the facility, said the Life Esidimeni tragedy was terrible and should never happen again.

Cook said it was important for people to treat people with mental illness with dignity.

Sydney Makhutla, a patient at the facility, read out a poem which he wrote after the tragedy happened. “Many innocent people died. Tears like acidic rain, we experienced the showers in pain,” it read.