Four missing Esidimeni patients still getting SASSA grants

7 December 2018

I am astonished by the information revealed this morning that four of the 21 missing Life Esidimeni patients are still registered as receiving SASSA grants.

This was said by Chief Executive for Gauteng Forensic Services, Dr Medupe Modisane, on the SABC TV Morning Live programme discussing the 2366 unclaimed and unidentified bodies in Gauteng mortuaries.

The Gauteng Health Department claims that it has done all it can to find the missing patients, but surely the first avenue of investigation should have been to work with SASSA to find out who is still receiving these grants and where they are?

Fraud could also be involved in this matter.

Once again, the department has shown incompetence and a lack of urgency in resolving the tragic issue of the missing patients.

Issued by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, 7 December 2018