The Economic Freedom Fighters in Gauteng are happy with Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s State of the Province address — but disappointed that he did not step down.

Makhura as well as former MEC for Health in the province Qedani Mahlangu were requested to resign after Health Ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba released a report earlier this month in which he criticised the decision by the Gauteng health department to transfer mentally ill patients from Life Esidimeni to unlicensed NGOs.

About 100 of the patients died after they were transferred.

Mahlangu has since resigned and has been replaced by Gwen Ramokgopa.

“At least Makhura managed to say everything that needed to be said around the Life Esidimeni massacre. The unfortunate part is that he failed to do the honourable thing after saying everything in terms of the trauma that was caused to the families‚ the failures of his government to take ownership... we were expecting him to step down‚” said Malesela Ledwaba‚ the EFF’s Gauteng Provincial Legislature secretary.

About 1‚300 patients were transferred from Life Esidimeni to 27 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) last year in an apparent bid to save money.

Earlier on Monday‚ EFF protesters‚ who held crosses outside the stadium in commemoration of the deaths of the psychiatric patients‚ called for Makhura to step down.

They were dispersed with rubber bullets and tear-gassed by police.

Ledwaba said he was not surprised.

“That is the life that we are used to because the ANC government is treating us like foreigners in our country. We are subjected to that ill treatment all the time but we will take it up with the leadership and they must account for the injuries that they brought to our people‚” added Ledwaba.