The first group of 27 patients formerly treated at Life Esidimeni arrived at the Clinix Selby Park Hospital in Johannesburg on Friday‚ under the supervision of national minister of health‚ Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.

He said the facility would be able to take about 300 patients.

“They are going to be transported in groups and this is the first group to arrive‚” he said.

Motsoaledi said the department “promised” to move the patients to “appropriate facilities“.

“We are not going to move anybody until family members see where we’re moving them and until the family approves of the facilities‚” he said.

Motsoaledi said the government would be spending R46 million on 300 patients per annum.

Last month‚ health ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba delivered a damning report on how the matter had been dealt with.

Following Makgoba’s report‚ former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu resigned.

Part of Makgoba’s report included recommendations that the head of department and director be disciplined and possibly suspended.

Makgoba found that 27 NGOs that were used to take the patients were unlawful as they were unregistered.

On Friday‚ Motsoaledi made assurances about the professional status of the new facility‚ which includes general wards with 16 beds and specialised wards with five beds.

“This is how it should’ve been done in the first place‚” Motsoaledi said.

New Gauteng health MEC Dr Gwen Ramakgopa said there was a dedicated team in place‚ accounting to the director-general of the health ministry.

“They have a programme. Before patients are moved‚ they’re examined‚ they have their medicine‚ and they get the necessary support‚” Ramakgopa said.

She said patients were properly briefed before they were moved to assure that they were “relaxed” and “not anxious“.