South African police investigate deaths of teenagers at nightclub

At least 21 teenagers died over the weekend after a night out at a township tavern in South Africa. The cause of is still unclear, but local officials and politicians said the deaths may have been the result of under-age drinking that went tragically wrong.

The provincial government of Eastern Cape said eight girls and 13 boys had died at the Enyobeni Tavern in the coastal town of East London.

Seventeen were found dead at the scene, while the others died in hospital.

The victims were found strewn across floors and tables. 

Many of the victims are thought to have been students celebrating the end of their high-school exams on Saturday night, officials said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is attending the G7 summit in Germany, sent his deepest condolences.

"This tragedy is made even more grave by its occurrence during Youth Month – a time during which we... advocate and advance opportunities for improved socio-economic conditions for the youth of our nation," he said in a tweet.

Leaving the morgue, Police Minister Bheki Cele broke down.

"It's a terrible scene," he told reporters. "They are pretty young. When you are told they are 13 years, 14 years and you go there and you see them. It breaks (you)."

'No visible open wounds'

Oscar Mabuyane, prime minister of East Cape Province where the tragedy occured, did not give an explanation for the deaths, but condemned the "unlimited consumption of liquor".

"You can't just trade in the middle of society like this and think that young people are not going to experiment," he said outside the tavern.  

The tavern's owner, Siyakhangela Ndevu, said there had been a rush to enter the bar by revellers despite warnings it was full.

But safety official Unathi Binquose ruled out a stampede as the cause of death.

"There are no visible open wounds," he told AFP.
"Forensic (investigators) will take samples and test to see if there was any poisoning of any sort," he said.

Drinking alcohol is forbidden for the under-18s in South Africa.

But in township taverns which are often situated cheek by jowl with family homes, safety regulations and drinking-age laws are not always enforced.

(with AFP)