CAPE CITY, June 26 (Reuters) – South African authorities are investigating the deaths of at least 22 young people found inside a popular tavern in the coastal town of east London, provincial health officials said on Sunday and the presidency.
State broadcaster SABC reported that the deaths were the result of a possible stampede, but had no details, as the exact cause of death was unknown.
The bodies will be transported to state funeral homes where relatives are expected to help identify both male and female victims, said Siyanda Manana, a spokeswoman for the Eastern Cape provincial health department.
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“We will immediately embark on the autopsies so that we can know the probable cause of death,” he told Reuters as forensic staff continued to work at the crime scene at the Enyobeni tavern.
“We’re talking about 22 bodies right now,” Manana said, adding that the toxicology tests were part of the examination.
Expressing his condolences to the affected families, President Cyril Ramaphosa said he was concerned about the circumstances in which young people, potentially under-18s, could gather at the tavern. Ramaphosa said in a statement that the law must continue its course once the investigations are completed.
“The call is for parents to see that their children are doing well, the call is for the community to say we cannot allow our children to die,” National Police Minister Bheki Cele told a large crowd at Scenery Park. during an impromptu visit broadcast live on television.
A 17-year-old girl, who only gave her name as “Lolly” and lived near the tavern, told Reuters that the place was a popular meeting place for teenagers, but the community wanted it to close later. of tragedy.
“Everyone wants to shut it down because they sell alcohol to minors. Everyone is angry, everyone is sad about what happened,” he said.
Earlier, Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said police were alerted by members of the public about the incident at Scenery Park, about three kilometers (1.9 miles) from the city center.
“What has happened can be equated with a massacre,” East London Mayor Xola Pakati said in a statement.
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Report by Wendell Roelf; Edited by Toby Chopra and Emelia Sithole-Matarise
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