Precious Daniel News Today

Relatives of Enyobeni Tavern tragedy victims have expressed frustration that the inquest into the cause of the death of the 21 young people has been postponed yet again.

The inquest into the deaths of the 21 victims of the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy is expected to get under way in December, almost 18 months after “pens down” party that saw 18 underage children perish.

Enyobeni Tavern owner Siyakhangela Ndevu, whose apology has been a long time coming, said in court that he ‘sympathised’ with the families who lost 21 children at his tavern in 2022.

A desperate application made by the Enyobeni Tavern owners for the magistrate’s court in East London, Eastern Cape, to dismiss the charges

Parents and relatives of Enyobeni Tavern victims have rejected the apology of Siyakhangela Ndevu, the taverns operational manager.While testifying in the East London court on Wednesday, Ndevu tendered an apology to the families.

The Enyobeni Tavern operations manager, husband of owner Vuyokazi Ndevu, compared himself to Jesus Christ on Thursday, saying if the inquest blamed him for the deaths of 21 minors a year ago, it would be because he was “being crucified” for sins he did not commit.

The investigating officer in the Enyobeni Tavern case says operations manager Siyakhangela Ndevu could have been selling alcohol to patrons during transactions not shown on CCTV footage at the tavern, because there were areas of the bar not covered by the cameras.On June 26 last year, 21 young people died during an evening at the Scenery Park tavern, of whom 18 were underage. The youngest was just 13.

The role of Enyobeni Tavern operation manager Siyakhangela Ndevu came under the spotlight in the East London regional court on Wednesday when three CCTV security videos were screened during his and his wife’s trial.

Siyakhangela Ndevu and his wife, Vuyokazi, made a brief appearance at the East London Magistrates Court on Wednesday. They stand accused of violating the Liquor Act for allegedly selling alcohol to underage patrons on the tragic night.

The case against the owners of the Enyobeni tavern in East London, where 21 youths died in June, has been postponed to 25 November after the State introduced a new prosecutor.