The families of Life Esidimeni victims have expressed anger at the legal recommendation that only two of the deaths warranted prosecution. 

Almost 10 years ago, 144 mental healthcare patients died in the Life Esidimeni tragedy. 

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has received a legal opinion recommending the prosecution of former Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and former director of mental health in Gauteng, Dr Makgabo Manamela, for the deaths of two mental healthcare users in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.  

Family Committee Member Christine Nxumalo says that they want clarity and closure. 

“We were told that the reason for the two is because they could prove that they were healthy before the move, and then of course died. We were not given anything about anyone else or the nine or the 144. What we were hoping to get was a breakdown to say 144 were buried before autopsies were done. Things like those, that would kind of bring us down to the two. But they didn’t. So that’s another thing that kind of boggled our minds to say, how do you expect us to be happy.” 

[WATCH] The families affected by the Life Esidimeni tragedy are frustrated that nearly a decade after 144 mental health patients died, no one has been prosecuted yet. Life Esidimeni Family Committee Member, Christine Nxumalo says from the onset, the NPA was reluctant to… pic.twitter.com/lMpkVOB6xS

— SABC News (@SABCNews) August 20, 2025