Tweeps slam Helen Zille for ‘insensitive’ tweet over Life Esidimeni tragedy

Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has been slammed on Twitter for being “insensitive” and “cruel” to the suffering of families affected by the Life Esidimeni tragedy in Gauteng.

This after former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke on Monday awarded R1.2 million to each of the families of the deceased and surviving mental health patients in the Life Esidimeni tragedy following the botched relocation in 2016 of almost 2 000 patients to unlicensed NGOs in the province, which resulted in the deaths of 144 people.

Of the R1.2 million sum, R20 000 is to cover the funeral costs and R180 000 for the shock and trauma to the families of the patients who died.

Government was, in addition, set to pay the legal costs for the arbitration and was ordered to provide trauma counselling for up to three family members for each patient, alive or surviving.

Zille tweeted on Tuesday that even though the families had received “a measure of justice and compensation”, what did they do before the tragic deaths to raise awareness about their loved ones’ conditions at the NGOs, which irked many Twitter users.

“It is good that the families of the Life Esidimeni victims have received a measure of justice and compensation. I would like an answer to this question: What did they do, before these tragic deaths, to raise the alarm about their loved ones starving + living in profound neglect? [sic]”

It is good that the families of the Life Esidimeni victims have received a measure of justice and compensation. I would like an answer to this question: What did they do, before these tragic deaths, to raise the alarm about their loved ones starving + living in profound neglect?

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 20, 2018

Many tweeps thought that Zille’s tweet was insensitive as many of the families had raised awareness about the plight of their loved ones and were ignored by officials as proven by the Health Ombudsman and during testimony provided at the Life Esidimeni arbitration hearings.

https://twitter.com/lunabellesoar/status/976048188409950208

What a cruel question; after all the testimony given by family members.

— Shawn Abdoll (@MavicXRider) March 20, 2018

This question from Helen shows that even after months of commissions and tax payers money spent, our politicians don't read or listen to the ppl. Maybe we shld have another commission of inquiry so Helen can catch up with the rest of us.

— Carmen Abdoll (@CAbdoll) March 20, 2018

I read newspapers. Unfortunately I do not have time to listen to live broadcasts.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 20, 2018

Your tweet puts a blame on people painfully & resoundingly failed by the state. It also, in my view, shows ignorance of the momentum that built and built before #LifeEsidimeni even became a thing.

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— Gaye Davis (@Gaye_Davis) March 20, 2018

Blame? Why would I say that the compensation was just if I was blaming them. I am asking a question that every alert newspaper reader would ask. I have been reading the press and the question has not been addressed. No blame at all.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 20, 2018

So do you feel, think, believe or suspect that the families didn't do enough and timeously to raise the alarm?

— oUr pEOplE (@PanAfrican2020) March 21, 2018

Many of them did raise the alarm Helen, they were simply ignored. The stories came out in the hearings.

— Cynthia Lewis (@lewisbabes) March 20, 2018

Well I'm afraid they were not prominently reported in any of the reports I read.

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) March 20, 2018

https://twitter.com/BrianAdams52/status/976189253079232514

– Additional reporting Simnikiwe Hlatsheni