Enyobeni Tavern Tragedy: Eastern Cape Liquor Board Welcomes Arrest of Owner and 2 Staff Members

• The Enyobeni tavern owner and two employees were charged with the Contravention of the Liquor Act
• The Eastern Cape Liquor Board has welcomed the arrest after opening a case against the establishment's owner
• A community leader said residents still needs answers as to what caused the deaths of the 21 teenagers

EAST LONDON - The Eastern Cape Liquor Board has welcomed the arrest of the Enyobeni tavern owner along with two of his employees following the deaths of 21 minors in June. The 52-year-old owner and the two employees were charged with the Contravention of the Liquor Act.

The provincial liquor board opened a case at the Scenery Park police station. According to EWN, the tavern owner will appear in court next Tuesday. However, the staff members were allowed to pay a fine of R2000.

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During an interview with eNCA, the Board's Mgwebi Msiya said he was delighted by the arrests.

"We are happy that our action of laying a criminal charge against the owner of the Enyobeni tavern is bearing fruits now. We are greatly excited, and I am really looking forward to the prosecution of the accused," he shared.

Meanwhile, a community leader told SABC News that the tavern premises should be turned into a monument in the community to educate other youngsters about differentiating between right and wrong. She said the community still needs answers as to what caused the deaths of the 21 children.

South Africans are angered that the Enyobeni tavern owner was not arrested for murder:

@AudreeLorde said:

"Can't believe they still haven't found the cause of death in the Enyobeni scandal."

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Eastern Cape police arrest Enyobeni tavern owner and 2 employees following deaths of 21 teenagers

@Joff11 wrote:

"If the owner hadn't allowed underage kids into the tavern, would these kids still be alive today? Asking for a friend."

@IvoVegter commented:

"So let me get this straight. If the Enyobeni owner wasn't in violation of his liquor licence, there wouldn't have been any arrests? No charges actually related to the 21 deaths, then? Good work, SAPS. Nice going, Bheki Cele."

@slago012 added:

"So the owner of Enyobeni Tavern was arrested for selling liquor to persons under the age of 18 and not for murder. So, who will be held accountable for the murders of these minors?"

Eastern Cape police arrest Enyobeni tavern owner and 2 employees following the deaths of 21 teenagers

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported, the police in the Eastern Cape have arrested the Enyobeni tavern owner after 21 teenagers who were partying at the local drinking hole died under mysterious circumstances.

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The owner was arrested alongside two employees who were there the night the young kids died. According to eNCA, the owner, aged 52, was arrested for selling alcohol to minors. The children who died at the Scenery Park tavern in East London were aged between 14 and 17.

Source: Briefly News