Nkosihleli Mfundisi
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an increase in the legal age of drinking to 21.
The president announced the plan during the funeral service of the 21 youngsters who died at the Enyobeni tavern in Scenery Park, East London in the early hours of Sunday 27 June.
The president also warned that liquor outlets should be closed down if they are caught selling alcohol to children, noting that the youngest among those who died was just 13 years old.
“Parents need to come together in assisting the society to raise the children,” he said.
Of the 21 coffins, 19 remained empty as only two of the teens were laid to rest on Wednesday with the remaining scheduled to be buried on Friday and Saturday.
The sorrow and grief of the families and community members in attendance was palpable. One woman, believed to be a relative of one of the teenagers, collapsed and was taken to a local hospital.
Among the hundreds of mourners were government officials as well as religious and traditional leaders.
Speaking to the mourners, Ramaphosa said it was sad because parents will not get to hug or kiss their son or daughter again.
“We are losing our future generation to the scourge of underage drinking. Alcohol is highly addictive. It is something to be consumed in moderation and responsibly, and only by those who are of the legal age to do so and mature enough to handle its effects,” Ramaphosa said.
“Municipal authorities and local law enforcement officials must heed the calls and complaints from our communities, and not ignore them or not take them seriously.”
Although the cause of death has not been determined yet, forensic pathologist Dr Litha Matiwane from Eastern Cape department of health told mourners that death as a result of a stampede can be ruled out.
“We need to base our findings on the evidence that has been collected from those results. It is for that reason Mr president and community members from Scenery Park that we kindly ask that people wait for the results because this investigation is very sensitive and we should treat it as such,” Dr Matiwane said.
Although the official cause of death of the teenagers has not been released, a source close to the investigation told eNCA the children were killed by toxic fumes from a petrol generator that was used inside the tavern.
Meanwhile, News24 reported that traces of carbon monoxide were discovered during preliminary examinations.
