Cape Town - Some families of the 21 youngsters killed in the Enyobeni tavern tragedy have rejected the final toxicology results presented to them by the Eastern Cape Department of Health on Thursday.
The department confirmed to the Cape Times that it had presented the final results to the families, but said it won’t be engaging in any interviews on the matter.
The 21 youngsters are believed to have suffocated to death due to overcrowding, according to reports.
Ntombizonke Mgangala, who lost her niece, Sinothando Mgangala, said they were not happy with the results presented to them.
“They said they were crushed and suffocated while standing. I don’t believe them at all. I am so disappointed and hurt. I am unhappy with how they have handled our grief,” she said.
Mgangala said they were set to meet as affected parents to decide a way forward.
“We are not satisfied. We are still going to sit and discuss but surely we will need legal assistance now,” she said.
The bodies of teenagers, the youngest aged 13, were lying strewn across tables, chairs and on the floor, with no signs of injuries. Some survivors had detailed how there was “some type of spray in the air” which they said they thought was pepper spray.
“We tried moving through the crowd, shouting ‘please let us through’, and others were shouting ‘we are dying, guys’, ‘we are suffocating’,” a 19-year-old survivor had said.
A team of psychologists and social workers were dispatched to the community following the incident.
Enyobeni tavern owner Siyakwamkela Ndevu has since been arrested and recently appeared in the East London Magistrate’s Court on charges of selling or supplying intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 years of age, and for conniving with and permitting employees and agents to sell or supply or deliver intoxicating liquor to persons under the age of 18 years.
He is expected back in court on Friday.
The South African Human Rights Commission’s Dr Eileen Carter said they were engaging with the families.
“We are aware that the parents were briefed.
“We are looking now to request a formal report from the relevant stakeholders and then we will take it from there.
“We have also alerted the parents of the availability of the counselling service that we have provided them with access to because we do know that it should have been traumatic to receive the report.
“This is where we are at and we are still proceeding with our assessment of potential litigation against the relevant and responsible stakeholders,” she said.
ANCYL regional treasurer and resident Aseza Somagaca said they were “disgusted and disappointed”.
“We also vehemently reject the reports that the death of the children was caused by overcrowding. We were told that Minister Bheki Cele brought the ‘best experts’ in the country for this case.
“If those experts who spent weeks investigating the cause of death can only come up with such rubbish then they should be ashamed of themselves.
“We call on the president of the country to fire all these useless people who are making a mockery of the pain of the parents of these children. We also urge the parents not to get tired and fight on till we get the answers,” said Somagaca.
Cape Times