Enyobeni Tavern, in East London, may be closed off indefinitely after at least 21 people were killed inside the popular nightclub, in the wee hours of Sunday.
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UPDATE: Eastern Cape police confirmed in a statement that the actual death toll in the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy is 21. Furthermore, Police Minister Bheki Cele addressed the media outside a mortuary in East London and confirmed that the victims were minors aged between 13 and 17.
“The scene I have seen inside, it doesn’t matter what kind of a heart you have, you will be [sad]. Firstly, the sight of those bodies sleeping there but when you look at their faces you realise that you’re dealing with kids. You’ve heard the story that they are young but when you see them you realise that it’s a disaster,” a tearful Cele remarked.
Police have maximised all available law enforcement resources to get to the bottom of the mass deaths.
What caused Enyobeni Tavern mass deaths?
Details around the horrific scene unfolding at Scenery Park are still very sketchy, as it’s believed forensic pathology officials and homicide detectives had been at the crime scene, combing the tavern for evidence and collecting eyewitness statements at the time this article was published.
However, from what we know, and as reported by Daily Dispatch, the bodies of at least 18 victims, most of whom are said to be teenagers, were found strewn across the floor of the nightclub in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The cause of death remains unconfirmed, at this time, since autopsy examinations have yet to commence. But, eyewitnesses have confirmed that no gunshots were heard in the area around the time the bodies were discovered.
Speculation has been rife on social media about the tragic fate of the 18 partygoers, with some claiming that, perhaps, the patrons were killed in the midst of a stampede.
Other theories include mass poisoning, but this too has yet to be tested by forensics. The victims of the Enyobeni Tavern mass deaths are still unknown, at this stage.
Graphic images of the nightclub’s dancefloor flooded with dead bodies surfaced on social media, sparking shock and outrage. The images we’ve embedded below are pixelated to protect the dignity of the victims.
Bodies lying as if they collapsed to the floor suddenly while dancing or in the middle of a conversation. Other bodies are slumped across chairs and lying over tables. #EastLondonDeath
— Sisonke Mlamla (@SISONKE_MD) June 26, 2022
*Pictures Supplied pic.twitter.com/Ko3mzJjhdz
This is a developing story.