Esidimeni: no one cared enough to care for them

THE deaths of 94 mentally ill people entrusted to the care of Gauteng health authorities ranks alongside other outrages in South Africa’s past — the Sharpeville and Marikana massacres being obvious examples.

Whereas the two massacres — the first in the apartheid era, in 1960, and the other in the democratic era, in 2012 — may have been a case of shots fired in the heat of the moment, the deaths of the 94 patients are all the more outrageous given that the authorities were warned of the likely outcome. And what did they do when warned? They ignored the warnings, following the all-toofamiliar posture adopted by our authorities — the “we know better” attitude of people accustomed to abusing public trust and getting away with it.

And why not, with the ultimate role model in the person of our shameless leader, President Jacob Zuma, at the top of the heap?

And it is particularly shameful that this disdainful attitude of scorn for those in whose name they govern was inspired by an apparent need to “save money”.

Perhaps it should not be too surprising that the burden of saving — this from a government that routinely bleeds millions on dud projects and theft — should fall on the most vulnerable people in society, who lack the means to complain.

Could the planned saving of R208 per patient to be gained from closing the Life Esidimeni care centre and moving 2 000 patients to 27 inept NGOs really have assisted the country’s finances in any meaningful way? Few could argue that it would.

At the top of this pyramid of scorn sits the monumentally arrogant former MEC for health, Qedani Mahlangu.

Fittingly, perhaps, Mahlangu was allowed to “resign” just a day before health ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba delivered his damning verdict on the whole sorry saga. That is, presumably, the ANC’s version of accountability, so it is no surprise that the victims’ families want to see Mahlangu pay for her actions and omissions.

And, while we have little option but to take him at his word, it stretches credulity that Gauteng premier David Makhura was unaware of what was happening on his MEC’s watch. Don’t they read newspapers? Consider, for a moment, the haughty, chilling reply from Mahlangu to a relative of one of the patients. She wrote: “May I repeat what I said to you before that we will never throw patients in the streets because we have a duty to look after them!”

Indeed. So what happened between lofty promises and execution?

And, later, in correspondence with the same person, she said: “I guess you have chosen to treat my reassurance and that of the department to suite [sic] your interpretation!” And: “English is my second language so maybe I should communicate to you in Zulu in future!

“If you want to meet with me because then you have to talk to my office to send the number.” Self-serving gibberish. But consider, too, the e-mail from health director Dr Makgabo Manamela, in which he told the same correspondent: “One of the resolution and plea [ sic] was that you direct all the queries to us rather than the MEC. Can’t you please show a little respect to her, she really tries to accommodate you but note I don’t appreciate the way you address her at times.

“She is not only looking for mental health, I think I should be the one to take the whip.

“NB furthermore note that your mother will always be our priority.”

Step forward, then, Dr Manamela, you have fashioned your own whip for your back!

Amid this depressing saga, one gives thanks for public servants of the calibre of Makgoba, a distinguished and courageous doctor whose report on this sorry chapter pulls no punches, going to the heart of the matter.

Makgoba did not craft a report that dealt in vague generalities and bland assurances of lessons learnt and the usual “never again”. He delivered a scathing indictment of the health authorities and the political principals who run the show.

Makgoba named Mahlangu, department head Dr Barney Selebano and Manamela as central to the fateful decision to close the Life Esidimeni care centre.

Makgoba wrote: “It is remarkable that only one person has died from a mental health-related illness. None of the 93 have died from a mental illness; they have died from . . . dehydration, diarrhoea, epilepsy. All other things except mental illness.”

He summed up the deadly fiasco in one crisp sentence: “They died because no one cared enough to care for them.” So what is to be done? There will be civil suits and, possibly, even criminal charges. For the families, this will constitute what little consolation there is to be derived.

Let’s not forget the grief of the families at witnessing the demise of loved ones.

All steps must be taken to ensure something like this never happens again.

It’s the least the health authorities can do.

At the top of this pyramid of scorn sits the monumentally arrogant former MEC