Johannesburg, 11 October 2017 – The Life Esidimeni Arbitration Dispute Resolution process started on Monday 9 October and is expected to continue until Friday 27 October 2017. It is designed to provide information, redress and closure to the affected mental health care users and their families.
This is a consensual process and is done in terms of agreement between the parties, which involve the government and the families. Paragraph 6.10 of the Terms of Reference of the arbitration process states that “the parties will provide one another reasonable notice of the content of any public statement relating to the ADR process prior to the making of such statement”. SECTION27 and its clients respect the process and will abide by it. As such, we urge any media to inform us of their intentions to interview us or members of the bereaved families in advance in order for us to comply with the agreement.
Furthermore, SECTION27, its staff and our clients will no longer comment on social media in compliance with the aforementioned agreement. We urge all those interested to follow others who are attending and reporting on the hearings, including News24 (@News24), Bhekisisa (@Bhekisisa_MG), the Treatment Action Campaign (@TAC), and the numerous journalists who are diligently documenting the entire process.
Please note that eNCA, SABC news channel 404 an eTV are posting live updates on this landmark event, crossing live and running a livestream.
For clarification, please contact:
Ngqabutho Mpofu (Senior Communications Officer): 061 807 6443 or via email – Mpofu@section27.org.za
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