Esidimeni payout splits families
Beneficiaries accuse each other of greed
A bitter feud has erupted between the families of Life Esidimeni victims over outstanding payments from the Gauteng government.
The families, who shared a collective pain throughout an arbitration process chaired by former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke, have now split into two groups, accusing each other of greed.
This after it emerged that more than 1 000 families were yet to be compensated in line with the arbitration award.
Five months ago, Moseneke ordered the Gauteng government to pay the families of mental patients affected by the decision to move them from Life Esidimeni homes to illequipped facilities R20 000 each for their funeral expenses, R180 000 for shock and psychological trauma and R1m for constitutional damages.
So far, more than R159m has been paid to 134 claimants who were part of the alternative dispute resolution process.
But some of the affected families who are yet to get compensation have expressed frustration and disappointment with government’s tardy process to pay them.
Sipho Shabalala, 56, whose sister Busisiwe Mtshalala was a patient of Life Esidimeni, said he submitted his claims on April 5.
He said during the arbitrations, they had committee members who were representing all the affected families and they were all singing the same tune.
“Unfortunately, committee leaders were among the first people to be compensated and now they are ignoring us,” Shabalala said.
“They are calling us hooligans who want to defraud the state. We were all affected by the Life Esidimeni saga. No one has answers for us.
“As a result, we don’t know what is happening.”
Another family member, Mvuleni Mdayi, 55, representing Mcebisi Hashe, said he was not aware of the process and he only heard about it when Moseneke made his ruling in March.
“We were surprised to read in the newspapers that all the affected families have received their compensation whereas some families are still left in the dark,” Mdayi said.
Helen Ramaboea, 59, who represented Armstrong Malefa, said they submitted their claim in March and they are still waiting to be compensated.
Life Esidimeni families spokesperson Christine Nxumalo accused some of the families of being after money and not concerned about their relatives.
“There will be a meeting with the families but for now they should give government enough time to do their verif ication process,” Nxumalo said.
‘ ‘ They call us hooligans who want to defraud the state. We were all affected.
Gauteng government spokesperson Thabo Masebe said there was a list of about 1 000 people that was brought to their attention before the start of the arbitration process.
“We advertised in the media for people to come forward but when we started the arbitrations only a number of people came forward.
“Judge Moseneke had three annexures that contained the names of 134 people who participated in the process and they have all been paid. However, after the award was issued in March, there were new claims that were made,” Masebe said.
He said they are busy processing the new claims by verifying if they fall in the main list of the 1 000 people.
“They will also be covered by terms of reference entered into between the parties and affected families,” Masebe explained.
The next step will be to establish if they have the legal right to represent the people they claim they are families of so as to avoid different claims for one person.”