South African police forensic teams are investigating the deaths of 22 young people at a nightclub and bar in the coastal city of south east London.
Specialists have yet to establish the cause of the tragedy, which occurred during the end-of-year celebrations by teenagers. Neighbors sounded the alarm around 4 a.m., authorities said.
Bheki Cele, the police minister, tried to calm an angry crowd of relatives and residents at the crime scene cordoned off at Enyobeni Tavern, in a slum known as Scenery Park.
“At first, we were told it was a stampede, but apparently, there was no stampede,” Cele said.
“I do not want to speculate on the cause of death; that’s why we brought in the highest team of forensic scientists so that if the cause of death was any poison, they would let us know ”.
Toxicology tests will determine if the victims were poisoned, officials said.
The exact circumstances of the tragedy are not yet clear. A regional newspaper, DispatchLive, said its journalists had seen bodies “strangely stretched out, as if they suddenly sank to the ground while dancing or in the middle of a conversation, some apparently in the social circles with which they were involved. “along with” other bodies “. they are sunk on chairs and lying on tables ”.
Unverified images shared on social media showed bodies with no visible signs of injuries, lying on the club floor.
Autopsies are expected to give a clearer idea of what happened at the nightclub, which was reported to be very crowded.
Eastern Cape provincial security department and community official Unathi Binqose, speaking from the scene, ruled out a stampede as the cause of death.
“It’s hard to believe it’s a stampede, as there are no open wounds visible to the dead,” Binqose said.
Local television showed police officers trying to calm a crowd of parents and spectators gathered outside the club.
South African police forces (SAPS) and forensic experts are working at the scene at Enyobeni Tavern in east London, South Africa. Photography: EPA
“Parents whose children did not sleep at home are gathered here and want to enter the tavern to look for their loved ones,” Binqose said.
He said he understood that the patrons were students “holding pens, a party held after writing [high school] exams ”.
A 17-year-old girl, who only gave her name as “Lolly” and lived near the tavern, said the venue was a popular meeting place for teens, but the community wanted it to close after the tragedy.
“Everyone wants it closed because they sell alcohol to minors. Everyone is angry, everyone is sad about what happened, “he said.
Many of these sites exist in both urban and rural areas of South Africa, and often violate licensing laws. Exaggerated police forces and local government officials often turn a blind eye to these violations of the law, sometimes in exchange for bribes.
Cele said he had been told the tavern was known for drinking minors and told local parents they had to take care of their children.
“We have to check if they abide by the laws, but it is up to us as police to ensure that this happens. [But] the call is activated … Parents to see that their children are doing well, the call is to the community to say that we cannot allow our children to die, ”he said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his condolences to the families and said he was concerned about the circumstances in which the young people, potentially under the age of 18, could gather at the tavern. Ramaphosa said in a statement that the law must continue its course once the investigations are completed.