Youth group wants Enyobeni owner charged with culpable homicide
Youth advocacy group LoveLife believes residents of Scenery Park in East London should have been aware of the underage drinking on their doorstep.
The group was reacting to the deaths of 21 teenagers at a local tavern on Sunday.
It is understood the teens flocked to the tavern to celebrate the end of their school exams.
LoveLife CEO Dr Linda Ncube-Nkomo says parents should have been aware of the underage drinking in their midst.
“Enyobeni tavern is in a residential area, therefore it is reasonable to believe that residents would have been aware of the underage drinking taking place at their doorstep. For incidents like these to stop occurring, we need to actively call and involve law enforcement agencies when the law is being broken right under our noses.
"We call on South Africans to blow the whistle on crime affecting our youth. An incident like this one, is one too many, and should never be allowed to happen again."
She says more needs to be done to educate youngsters on the dangers of alcohol abuse.
"Underage drinking is a looming crisis that requires everyone in society to play their part, and those charged with responsibility to protect the children must be held accountable when in breach of their duties."
Ncube-Nkomo says the owners of the tavern should be charged with culpable homicide.
“This will send a strong message to those that similarly breach the conditions of their operating licences that are clear about not selling alcohol to children under the age of 18."
Meanwhile, Buffalo City Mayor Xola Pakati said substance abuse among young people remains a problem.
The mayor was speaking during a prayer session in East London on Monday afternoon.
“It is a societal problem that we must address. We have a big problem but in order for us to be able to deal with it, we need to accept it, that there is a challenge of substance abuse amongst young people.
"We need to acknowledge it, we can’t have children behaving like old people. The responsibility of nurturing them starts with us as their elders.
“We have an equal responsibility like everyone else to condemn actions like this, they should not happen while we are still alive,” said Pakati.
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