---
title: "What you need to know about the eight-year battle of the Life Esidimeni tragedy"
description: "It has been eight years since the Life Esidimeni tragedy first shook South Africa to its core. Although headlines recounting the horrific, tragic, and avoidable deaths of 144 mental healthcare patients have become less frequent, the fight for justice continues."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "TIMELINE"
author: "Daily Maverick"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/dailymaverick/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-07-10-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-eight-year-battle-of-the-life-esidimeni-tragedy/"
published: "2024-07-10T11:13:37"
updated: "2024-07-10T11:13:40"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 19
---

# What you need to know about the eight-year battle of the Life Esidimeni tragedy

> It has been eight years since the Life Esidimeni tragedy first shook South Africa to its core. Although headlines recounting the horrific, tragic, and avoidable deaths of 144 mental healthcare patients have become less frequent, the fight for justice continues.

By Daily Maverick · Published 10 July 2024, 13:13 SAST · Updated 10 July 2024, 13:13 SAST

## Content

Read our [collection of articles, timelines, and infographics](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/life-esidimeni/) detailing the 8-year battle for justice in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.