---
title: "A timeline of pain and death and suffering"
description: "Today is the first ever Mental Health Action Day. Given the unprecedented scale of the mental health crisis in SA and globally we are encouraged to think about our own mental health and that of our loved ones."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Life Esidimeni"
author: "Mark Heywood"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/markheywood/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-05-20-a-timeline-of-pain-and-death-and-suffering/"
published: "2021-05-20T09:06:03"
updated: "2021-05-20T09:48:38"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 128
---

# A timeline of pain and death and suffering

> Today is the first ever Mental Health Action Day. Given the unprecedented scale of the mental health crisis in SA and globally we are encouraged to think about our own mental health and that of our loved ones.

By Mark Heywood · Published 20 May 2021, 11:06 SAST · Updated 20 May 2021, 11:48 SAST

## Content

We are also encouraged to stand up for people's rights of access to mental health care services and to help destigmatise mental illness. In South Africa, the lowest moment in our management of mental health occurred in 2016 when over 1,000 mental health care users were tortured and abused after the Life Esidimeni long term care facility was closed. This caused over 144 deaths. Today a special online memorial website is being launched by the families, SADAG and SECTION27. Below we provide the timelines (a) leading to the disaster as well as a second timeline, Justice Unfinished, of what has happened and not happened between the end of the Arbitration under former deputy Chief Justice Moseneke in 2018 and the inquest that will start on 19 July 2021.![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/LE-Portraits_1-scaled.jpg)![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/LE-Portraits-scaled.jpg)