Crowds gather as Enyobeni tavern manager set to appear in court

19 August 2022 - 11:38
By Ziyanda Zweni
Protesters outside the East London regional court where the manager of Enyobeni tavern is due to appear on charges relating to selling alcohol to underage children after the death of 21 young patrons on June 26.
Image: Ziyanda Zweni Protesters outside the East London regional court where the manager of Enyobeni tavern is due to appear on charges relating to selling alcohol to underage children after the death of 21 young patrons on June 26.

The manager of Enyobeni tavern in Scenery Park, where 21 children died on June 26, is appearing in the East London regional court on Friday morning on charges relating to selling alcohol to children.

Siyakwamkela Ndevu, 52, was served with a summons to appear in court in July, while two employees were fined R2,000 each.

A group of protesters, including Scenery Park residents and parents of the children, were singing outside the court calling for justice.

Nosiphe Malangeni, mother of Esinako, a grade 12 pupil from Nompumelelo, said it was saddening the tavern manager had only been summoned to court and not arrested.

“The tavern [manager] should be jailed for a very long time. We want justice for our children. Until today, we don’t know what killed our children,” she said.

DispatchLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.