#ICYMI: Crosses along Main Road commemorate the lives of those lost in the Life Esidimeni tragedy

About 144 crosses can be seen erected alongside Main Road in Kyalami as they served as a reminder of the 144 lives lost in the Life Esidimeni tragedy, according to community member Bill Rutherford who erected the crosses outside his property at Flutter By Nursery.

Last year, the tragedy shook the country after they had learnt of the ill-treatment of mentally ill patients who were moved by Gauteng Health Department’s marathon project from Life Esidimeni facilities to various NGOs allegedly without concern from most of the patients’ family.

In order to give closure to the grieving families, there were ongoing Life Esidimeni hearings of the mentally ill patients who died following the transfer of 1 700 patients to ill-equipped NGOs.

“The reason behind me putting crosses outside my yard is because I was heartbroken to see how people were being treated during this Life Esidimeni tragedy which has affected me badly because I have lost faith in our health department.”

He explained that he was saddened by how the patients and victims were treated and that according to him, no consequences are faced by anyone. “These crosses will stay here until someone takes accountability for the lives lost during this tragedy which I put up last year when they started their hearings.”

Rutherford explained that almost every day motorists stop by and put flowers on the crosses which, according to him, was their way to commemorate the lives lost in the tragedy.

When contacted for comment, head of communications of Gauteng Department of Health, Lesemang Matuka stated that unfortunately there was still missing patients in the tragedy. “What was ordered to us by Judge Moseneke was to erect monuments in commemoration of the lives lost in the tragedy and the department is continuously searching for the missing patients in all facilities they could be in.”

Matuka highlighted that they had some leads they planned to follow to verify the information and only after verification is done, only then the patients can be removed from the list of missing people.

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