Patients’ death toll up to 141

The number of mental patients who have died after they were relocated from Life Esidimeni Healthcare to 27 NGOs has risen to 141, Gauteng department of health boss Ernest Kenoshi said yesterday.

Kenoshi told the arbitration hearing the 23 patients died between February and September. “Subsequent to February, after the health ombudsman’s [Malegapuru Makgoba] report was released, more deaths happened. So the number of deaths to date, adding to the 118, is 141,” Kenoshi said.

Taken aback, arbitration chairperson Dikgang Moseneke said: “My goodness! You will have to say that again… 23 people died between February and September?”

Kenoshi, who took over after the suspension of Barney Selebano, was under cross-examination by the department’s lawyer, Tebogo Hulamo. He added that seven of the patients died at NGOs while the other 16 died in state mental hospitals.

In February, Gauteng Premier David Makhura suspended Selebano on the recommendation of Health Ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba following the death of 118 psychiatric patients at illequipped NGOs. The then health MEC Qedani Mahlangu tendered her resignation as the saga unfolded.

At the time, Makgoba’s report found that 94 mentally ill patients transferred from Esidimeni to unlicensed care centres died of causes that included neglect and starvation. The death toll figure rose over time as Makgoba uncovered more information, bringing the number of deaths to 118 – a figure he revealed while testifying before the inquiry earlier this week.

The department said the reason for the termination of the Esidimeni contract was to cut costs.

Earlier, Kenoshi told the hearing that 26 post-mortems had been completed and the SA Police Service had the reports. He added that most of the deaths were before the Esidimeni tragedy unfolded, and some patients were buried without having post-mortems. It was not known where some were buried, including those who were given paupers funerals by NGOs.

Moseneke asked him who took the decision to bury the patients without post-mortem reports or consent from families.

“We found that an NGO would call a private undertaker and arrange funerals with or without the consent of families," said Kenoshi. “Quite a number of the NGOs did not keep proper clinical records for the patients.” – ANA

My goodness! You will have to say that again… 23 people died between February and September?

Dikgang Moseneke Chairperson of inquiry into mental patients’ deaths