East London tavern tragedy: Eyewitness claims ‘pepper spray’ was used

Horrible, horrible news has reached us on Sunday morning, after an estimated 20 patrons – many of whom were believed to be underage – lost their lives at a popular East London tavern. The cause of these deaths is yet to be established, but speculation remains rife.

• The incident took place in Scenery Park, just outside of East London’s city centre.
• Police were called to the East London tavern just after 4:00.
• A ‘pens down’ celebration was taking place here, accounting for the scores of underage patrons.
• At least two other teenagers are in a critical condition in hospital.
• Parents at the scene have been denied access to the venue, and many are calling for Enyobeni’s immediate closure.

What was the cause of death at the East London tavern?

Police earlier identified a stampede as a preliminary cause, but photos from inside the venue show some of the deceased do not bear the scars that are consistent with this type of death. That has led to some claiming that a ‘noxious substance’ is to blame.

One eyewitness, who’s relative relayed the details to Algoa FM, claimed that pepper spray was deployed. The 15-year-old girl, who was celebrating the end of exams in the Enyobeni nightspot, says ‘chaos broke out’ after this incident, with many left ‘choking and coughing’.

Enyobeni updates: Pepper spray use ‘will be investigated’ by police

It is not yet suggested that pepper spray could have killed these revellers, but it could prove to be the reason a *possible* stampede broke out. Police are at the scene and talking to other witnesses, as law enforcement authorities desperately scramble to make sense of this tragedy.

The magnitude of this loss has hit South Africans hard. Scenes of partygoers having a good time – just hours before many would meet their demise – have been shared across social media. But the joy has turned to despair, leaving dozens of parents to face a heartbreaking reality.