Protest as Premier Makhura delivers SOPA

EFF members are protesting outside the venue, calling for the immediate arrest of Gauteng Premier David Makhura in connection with the deaths of more than a 100 psychiatric patients who were moved to various NGOs in the province.

Dressed in their customary red overalls, EFF party members held white crosses in remembrance of the more than 100 people who died in the Life Esidimeni tragedy, with some trying to get through the locked gate to get to Premier Makhura. 

Samkelo Maseko is there.

Meanwhile, members of the Provincial Legislature also want to the matter to be debated urgently.

Speaker Ntombi Mekgwe had to rule several times that the life Esidimeni tragedy will be debated next Tuesday.

The EFF wanted the matter to be debated before the Premier's address. 

Premier Makhura wasted no time and addressed the matter in his introduction. 

"I will spend the remainder of my term of office over the next two years to ensure that there is restorative justice and healing for the families," says Makhura.

Makhura says he is deeply aggrieved over the deaths of more than a hundred psychiatric patients.

"I have decided to institute wide ranging inspections and conditional assessments of all centres who care for the most vulnerable in our province. Those centres will include where we have our elderly people, people with disabilities and our children attending early childhood development," says Makhura.

Makhura called on political parties not to use this tragedy for political gain.

"None of us should use this tragedy as a political football. I hereby begin with an appeal to this house that as we honour the bereaved, we should also honour the wishes of their families," says Makhura.