Life Esidimeni

When writer Harriet Perlman and photographer Mark Lewis set about documenting the lives of the families whose loved ones had been so horribly killed in the Life Esidimeni tragedy, they were determined to honour the dead, and to recognise the sufferings of those left behind. They travelled, often long distances to people’s homes, and listened to their stories. Family members brought out a picture that they selected of their brother, parents, sister or child who had died Each picture held meaning for those left behind.They met with families grappling with the unimaginable loss of loved ones. Their heartbreaking stories, accompanied by powerful photographs, forge a deep connection with the victims. These portraits are not just faces on a page, but a testament to the human cost of this tragedy. This book pays tribute to the people who had someone they loved cruelly taken from them and tells the story of those who fought back. In late 2015 and 2016, South Africa witnessed a horrific human rights tragedy. 144 people entrusted to the public health system died from neglect, starvation and torture. This book delves into this heartbreaking event, the Life Esidimeni tragedy, offering a powerful narrative built on the stories of those most affected. But this book is not merely a chronicle of loss; it is a celebration of resilience and courage. It shines a light on the tireless efforts of organisations like SECTION27, SADAG, and the Life Esidimeni Family Committee. These unsung heroes fought relentlessly for truth, justice and accountability, holding those in power responsible for their actions. It is also a stark reminder of how horribly wrong things can get with an arrogant, callous and unaccountable political leadership. But a measure of justice has been achieved. Presided over by former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, families were awarded damages for the loss of their loved ones in the arbitration in 2021. Then on 10 July 2024, Judge Mmonoa Teffo pronounced her findings from the Inquest. But the fight for true justice continues. The book explores the ongoing struggle for better mental healthcare in South Africa and the urgent need to ensure such a tragedy never happens again. This is a call to action, urging readers to engage with the ongoing fight for mental health reform.

Harriet Perlman has worked in film, television and publishing for over 30 years, as a producer, scriptwriter, story editor and writer on a number of pioneering South African projects. These include Yizo Yizo, Soul City, and the award winning Vaya, which was both a film and a book based on stories from the Homeless Writer’s Project. Perlman has worked on entertainment and education projects and initiatives that combine the two. She is co-producer of the documentary film and writer of the accompanying book, The Colour of Wine. She is currently working with Heartlines on their Fathers Matter campaign and with the composer Philip Miller to create a vogue-opera on the life of gay anti-apartheid activist Simon Nkoli. Mark Lewis is an urban photographer based in Johannesburg. For the past ten years he has traversed the dense inner core and the constantly shifting edges of Johannesburg. His images are an interplay between people and space. At root they are tales of lives carved in the search for economic opportunity and the stories of the impacts of those lives on the spatial fabric of the city. His work has been widely exhibited and published, and he has completed the tenth book in the popular series of Johannesburg stories called Wake Up, This is Joburg with writer and urban planner, Tanya Zack which formed part of the South African pavilion on the 2015 Venice Biennale.