DA's Bloom using Life Esidimeni tragedy for political relevance - ANC Tshwane

14 February 2017

Johannesburg – The ANC caucus in Tshwane says claims that one of its councillors has been implicated in the Life Esidimeni tragedy are an attempt by the DA's Jack Bloom to gain political points.

"There are those in our society like Bloom who seek to gain political currency on the pain and grief suffered by the victims," said ANC caucus spokesperson Lesego Makhubela.

Bloom on Monday said he had established that police Major General Sandra Malebe-Thema and ANC councillor Nozipho Makeke-Tyobeka were involved in one of the unlicensed non-governmental organisations that received patients from Life Esidimeni facilities.

"[The] ANC is vexed by the unfortunate, misplaced and political grandstanding displayed in the form of utterances attributed to Mr Jack Bloom," said Makhubela.

Ninety-four patients died after being moved from the licensed facility to 27 unlicensed NGOs, which include the Rebafenyi Mental Health, where Makeke-Tyobeka is a committee member.

Makhubela said the ANC councillor was a non-executive committee member.

Bloom claimed the facility was paid R2 700 per patient per month, making around R270 000 a month from its admission of the Life Esidimeni patients.

Makeke-Tyobeka was involved in the NGO before it expanded its services to assisting patients with mental health problems, added the ANC caucus spokesperson. He said she was doing volunteer work at the facility.

"She is not involved in the day to day running of the NGO and was part of the programme focused on abused women and children," said Makhubela.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.