Police in South Africa have arrested the owner of East London’s Enyobeni tavern and two workers as the forensic investigation into the deaths of 21 children at his facility gathers steam.
Brig Tembinkosi Kinana said the 52-year-old owner and staff, aged 33 and 34, were arrested at the weekend and on Tuesday afternoon by a team of detectives working on the Scenery Park tragedy, when patrons collapsed and died on June 26 .
This comes after the Eastern Cape Liquor Board laid charges for contravention of the Liquor Act. The owner is expected to appear in the East London magistrate’s court on August 19 in connection with charges levelled against him.
The police are investigating the alleged contravention of the Act for the selling or supplying of alcohol to children under the age of 18 years and for selling or supplying of alcohol to children under the age of 18 years by the owner.
Two employees have been given an option of a fine in terms of the Act. Should they fail to pay, they will be required to appear in the same court.
Kinana said the results will be made available to the affected families “at an appropriate time and conclusion of the investigation”.
Eastern Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Nomthetheleli Mene appealed for patience by families and communities.
“Just as we said in the beginning, investigation is a process and needs to be treated with extreme care and wisdom so that we can achieve the desired outcomes. This is the beginning of work we are doing behind the scene,” Mene said.