Families call for immediate release of Enyobeni tavern victims’ toxicology results

Families that lost their children in the Enyobeni tavern tragedy in East London in the Eastern Cape, are demanding the provincial government’s immediate release of the toxicology results.

This after Premier Oscar Mabuyane announced that the laboratory results were back in the province from Cape Town but that his office had not yet received them.

The families have lambasted government for not updating them about developments in the incident.

Twenty-one young people died in the tragedy in Scenery Park in June.

One bereaved father, Khululekile Ncandana, says the government is not taking them seriously.

“Because l have been briefed [that] the results are back. They arrived yesterday [on Wednesday]. We said in our last interaction with the families [that] we are going to take the results outcome to the families. As to what happened to [every] child will be taken to the families. We are no longer going to call a meeting again,” adds Ncandana.

However, the provincial health department spokesperson, Yonela Dekeda, says they need more time to finalise the report.

“This is a complex situation and once the report is finalised, the outcome will be released appropriately,” adds Dekeda.

In the video below, Enyobeni tavern entertainment manager Promise Matinise speaks to the SABC:

In July, toxicologist Dr Gerhard Verdoorn said it was concerning that the exact cause of death has still not been revealed.

Preliminary toxicology reports have pointed to methanol poisoning as a possible cause of the deaths.

Methanol is a type of alcohol used in cleaning products and pesticides, but is poisonous to humans.

Traces of methanol found in Enyobeni tavern victims: