Appeals tribunal appointed to investigate deaths

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has appointed an ad hoc independent appeals tribunal to process all appeals related to the deaths of mentally ill patients in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.

The death toll rose after another patient died on Friday at Kalafong Hospital in Ekurhuleni, east of Joburg.

“The tribunal, headed by the retired Judge President of the North Gauteng High Court, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, will process all appeals relating to the health ombud’s report into circumstances surrounding the deaths of mentally ill patients in Gauteng,” Motsoaledi’s office said.

Ngoepe, as chairperson, will work alongside Professor Brian Robertson, a retired professor of psychiatry at the University of Cape Town, and Professor Hoosen Coovadia, a retired professor of pediatrics at the University of Natal.

“The independent ad hoc tribunal is appointed with immediate effect and is expected to conclude the appeal process within a period of two months.

“The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, wishes members of the tribunal well in discharging their responsibilities.”

South Africans were shocked by revelations contained within health ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba’s report into the transfer of more than 1 300 mentally ill patients from Life Esidimeni by the Gauteng health department.

The patients, who were transferred to hospitals and 27 unlicensed nongovernmental organisations operating unlawfully, died under their care, the report found.

In delivering his report, Malegapuru found that of the victims, only one person died from a mental-related illness.

The remaining deaths were due to, among other things, dehydration, diarrhoea, heart attacks and epilepsy.

According to the report, patients died from dehydration, hunger and cold.

Presently, the death toll is at more than 100.

The latest casualty died on Friday after being hospitalised on February 20.