MHM Magazine

26 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 2024 | Issue 3 MHM The journey of Life Esidimeni began over eight years ago, a harrowing saga marked by tragedy, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of justice. The recent inquest inquiry judgement, announced during Mental Health Awareness Month in July, has deliv- ered a significant and unprecedented finding, holding two government officials accountable for the deaths that shook a nation. This momentous judgement arrives just as we prepare for the launch of the Life Esidimeni Portraits book in August. This book is a poignant tribute, featuring moving portraits and family stories, powerful images capturing the eight-plus-year journey, and essays from key stakeholders including Judge Moseneke, the Health Ombud, lawyers, psychiatrists, and civil society. Among these contributions, we will also find deeply personal reflections from those who have tirelessly advocated for mental health and justice, highlighting the unwavering commitment to never giving up. As we unveil this book, we commemorate a journey of profound loss, enduring hope, and the relentless pursuit of accountability and mental health awareness. Below is my personal abstract from the Life Esidimeni: Portraits of Lives Lost book coming out in August. Running a Marathon It is ironic that the government called the Life Esidimeni relocation of patients into NGOs the “marathon project”. It was rushed, unplanned and careless beyond belief. So I am not sure where the marathon part came into play! I am no marathon runner, but over the last 8+ years since that very first email in September 2015, it has felt like the longest, toughest marathon I personally have ever had to run. And at times a race we could never actually win. When innocent lives are lost – we all lose. It was never SADAG’s intention to go the legal route. In its 25 years back then, we have never had to seek legal advice as an organisation, prepare affidavits for the courts or enter into litigation. But if we didn’t take this route, these families, and their loved ones, would have no one else who would fight for them. They would be ignored. Just before Christmas in 2015 – we had heard about some abnormally high number of patients being discharged from the Life Esidimeni facilities. As a way to prevent any further discharges from happening during the holidays, we filed our first legal papers to prevent the discharges. I remember racing around police stations to get a huge stash of legal papers signed and certified so that we could file them into the court before they closed for the holidays. Then in March 2016 I remember SADAG, SECTION27 and SASOP, took the Gauteng Department of Health to court to stop the movement of By Cassey Chambers SADAG A JOURNEY OF JUSTICE: REFLECTIONS FROM THE LIFE ESIDIMENI INQUEST MHM | 2024 | Volume 11 | Issue 3 | A Journey of Justice: Reflections from the Life Esidimeni Inquest H