Johannesburg - The DA plans to put through a motion of no confidence in Gauteng Premier David Makhura for his role in the Life Esidimeni tragedy.
The party's leader Mmusi Maimane said the buck stops with Makhura as the head of the Gauteng government.
Maimane said he acknowledged the fact that Makhura said he takes full responsibility for the saga as the head of government, but said his admission was fruitless if he could not do the honourable thing and step down.
"But what do those words actually mean? Surely “full responsibility” means an acceptance of any consequences. And in this case, where 144 innocent people lost their lives and dozens more are still unaccounted for, anyone who accepts full responsibility cannot remain in their job," said Maimane.
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"This is why the DA has called for a motion of no confidence in Premier Makhura. If he can’t do the honourable thing and resign, then the members of the Gauteng legislature must do it for him," he said.
Makhura appointed the former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke to head an inquiry into the death of over 140 mentally ill patients who died after their moved from Life Esidimeni.
The patients died from various causes as they were not looked after properly at various non-registered NGOs that they were moved to.
Last week Moseneke announced that the families of the victims would each receive R1.5 million. The amount needs to be paid within three months.
"This is the ANC in Gauteng’s opportunity to show that “full responsibility” means just that. Because the families of the Esidimeni victims deserve a lot better than empty platitudes from those who brought about this tragedy," said Maimane.