East London deaths: Calls for tavern’s licence to be revoked

Residents living near the tavern where at least 17 people died in East London, are demanding that the place be shut down and its liquor licence be revoked.

While details remain sketchy, the victims were found dead inside the establishment in the early hours of Sunday morning, 26 June 2022. Several others have been rushed to hospital. At this point, it isn’t clear what exactly caused their deaths.

The MEC for Community of Safety in the Eastern Cape, Weziwe Tikana Gxothiwe, has requested that families assist in identifying the victims of the tragedy.

“We know that there are parents that have not seen their children. We request that all the parents who have missing children report to Woodbrook mortuary,” Gxothiwe is quoted as having told News24.

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UNDERAGE DRINKING PERMITTED AT EAST LONDON TAVERN

According to community members living in the East London township where the tavern is situated, the establishment even sells alcohol to minors and doesn’t care about the safety of customers, SABC News reports.

Xolile Malangeni, whose two children are reportedly among those killed, has demanded that the provincial Liquor Board revoke the tavern’s liquor licence.

“I’m not feeling well good at all when you got two kids on that scene it’s not right l hope our government can take action I don’t want to say the Liquour Board failed even the police failed if the police were patrolling even liquor board the licence says two o’clock, this happened after three and the owner knows the rule,” Malangeni is quoted as having said.