In our hearts and minds‚ the death of nearly 40 psychiatric patients is of similar weight as Marikana‚ the Disabled People South Africa organisation said on Tuesday.

An enquiry is under way into the actions of the Gauteng government in moving 1‚300 mentally ill patients from the Life Esidimeni facilities to save costs. The patients‚ some of them with severe conditions‚ were relocated to various NGOs across the province in June.

The Sunday Independent reported at the weekend that the number of patients who have died since the relocation has risen to 37‚ with Nombulelo Emily Mthembu‚ 50‚ dying on September 21.

Disabled People South Africa said it was looking into possible litigation for the families of those who lost their lives “purely because there was sheer disregard for the safety of those constituting our constituency“.

“It is our view that these deaths could have been prevented if greater care and circumspect was applied in the consideration of transferring the... patients.”

The NGOs where the patients were sent should have been assessed for capacity and capability prior to patients being allocated to them‚ it said.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to disability‚” it also noted.

Disabled People South Africa expressed concern at what it sees as “the little or no rage from many quarters of society” over the patients’ deaths‚ which it claimed was proof that some consider the life of a disabled person as less valuable.

“Given the number of people who lost their lives; it would have been interesting to see society as enraged as they were with the Marikana Massacre; this incident in our hearts and minds is of similar weight as Marikana.”