The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance South Africa (SAAPA SA) has lamented the lack of full accountability for the deaths of 21 young people, four years after the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy in Scenery Park, East London.
Marking the fourth anniversary of the disaster, the Alliance issued a statement emphasising that individuals who illegally sold alcohol to minors must face criminal liability. SAAPA SA Spokesperson Nomcebo Dlamini stated that true justice has yet to be served for the families of the victims, despite previous legal rulings against the establishment’s owners for selling liquor to underage patrons.
The tragedy, which occurred during a “pens-down” high school celebration, resulted in the suffocating deaths of teenagers as young as 13. The Alliance continues to lobby for stricter enforcement of liquor laws, tougher penalties for non-compliant outlet owners, and tighter municipal zoning regulations to protect vulnerable youth from unregulated establishments.
–ChannelAfrica–
