Mzansi Calls for Arrests As EC Liquor Board Files Criminal Charges Against Tavern Owner After Minors Die

• The Eastern Cape Liquor Board has set its sights on another tavern owner following the death of three females
• Two of the females were minors who were served alcohol at the tavern even though they were underage
• The board expressed its concern that another incident happened so soon after the Enyobeni tavern

EAST LONDON- Another Eastern Cape tavern owner is facing the might of the law after three females, two of them minors, died at the establishment in Hofmeyr on Christmas day.

While police have arrested the manager and assistant manager of the tavern, the Eastern Cape Liquor Board has laid criminal charges against the owner of the establishment.

According to eNCA, reports indicate that the deaths could be linked to an unknown substance that was sprayed inside the tavern.

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The incident comes while the province is still picking up the pieces from a similar one that happened at the Enyobeni tavern in East London in June 2022.

21 young people tragically lost their lives and the spokesperson of the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, Mgwebi Msiya said the organisation was disappointed as they had thought liquor traders had learnt from the Enyobeni tragedy.

Msiya added that the board was concerned by how the flouting of liquor trading laws and underage drinking has become entrenched in South African society.

The Eastern Cape Liquor Board has warned that tavern owners who continue to contravene the Liquor Act will be dealt with harshly, SABC News reported.

South Africans have called for tavern owners to be held accountable for serving alcohol to minors.

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Here's what citizens are saying:

@yourtimeisnow21 demanded:

"Owners should be behind bars already, what’s the hold-up."

@gpreller suggested:

"Also need to investigate the EC liquor Board and the licenses they have given out for taverns, bars, restaurants etc and whether these are in accordance with the liquor laws."

Sandile Mdluli added:

"It's always Eastern Cape."

Luvo Mugabe Jnr Ndlumbini commented:

"We are not even done yet with the Nyobeni, boom another."

Brian Gomwe said:

"The law is failing the youths."

King Tshilidzi Makhwanya claimed:

"Charging is just formality, is just a dog without teeth."

Police captain arrested with three other suspects for burning police general’s home, facing arson charges

In another story, Briefly News reported that a police captain in Gqeberha was arrested on 28 December for allegedly burning down the home of a police general in New Brighton, Eastern Cape.

The captain was arrested alongside three other suspects during a police raid. Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said an investigation into the incident revealed that an officer in the crime intelligence unit was linked to the crime.

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According to SNL24, the raid resulted in the recovery of three firearms, ammunition, stun grenades, and R205 600 in cash from the captain’s house.

Source: Briefly News