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Case study: Enyobeni Tavern disaster
During a celebration of hlanjwa iphepha (‘pens down’), a tradition in South Africa that celebrates the
end-of-school exams, 21 people were killed and four people were injured in the Enyobeni Tavern in
East London on 26 June 2022 (Wikipedia, 2022). Initial reports suggested a crowd crush, but this was
not confirmed by the investigating authorities. The owner of the bar, Siyakhangela Ndevu, who was
not present when the deaths occurred, stated that he had received calls from security at around 01:00,
informing him of people attempting to force their way through a gate outside the tavern (Daily
Maverick, 2022).
Promise Matinise, the entertainment manager of the tavern, admitted they lacked the manpower to deal
with overcrowding, explaining that some patrons tried to force their way in. Matinise witnessed people
falling down, as bouncers failed to control the large crowd, and stated that he contacted the owner
upon discovering that some people were dead (Wikipedia, 2022).
A patron stated that, at one stage, a security guard closed the doors and sprayed a chemical into the
crowd. The patron added they were unable to breathe, with some suffocating and many kept pushing
one another to get out of the tavern, but it was no use people were dying. At 04:00 am, a witness
placed a call reporting multiple deaths at the tavern. Seventeen victims – the youngest aged 13 – were
found on the dance floor and in chairs, on couches and at tables, with no obvious signs of injury.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, an investigation was opened into the probable causes of the
deaths. Samples from the bodies of the victims were taken to toxicology laboratories in Cape Town for
analysis. The South African Police Service released a statement regarding the incident, stating that
they would be deploying maximum resources” to the investigation, and that the public should not
speculate on the causes of the deaths (BBC, 2022).
A provincial safety officer said that since there were “no visible wounds”, the cause of death was
likely not a stampede. A spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Community Safety stated
that they had ruled out a stampede entirely, and that the most likely cause of death was poison-related,
pointing to CCTV footage showing hookah pipes at the tavern. Eastern Cape MEC for Safety, Weziwe
Tikana, ruled out a stampede because “there were three young people who were coming to speak to
MEC and her colleagues when they got to the scene, and they fainted along the way”. One of them has
since died while en-route to hospital. An Eastern Cape police spokesperson said the cause of death was
either something ingested or inhaled.
On 29 June, news reports said investigators suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from a petrol
generator operating in the tavern after a power outage in the area. While autopsies had not yet been
completed, the chief medical officer at the local mortuary said the bodies showed signs of “chemical
asphyxia”. However, a different official in the Forensic Pathology Services said “it is highly unlikely
that the cause of death was through fumes from a generator”. On 19 July, it was reported that methanol
was present in the bodies of all 21 deceased. Alcohol poisoning and carbon monoxide were thus ruled
out. Dr Litha Matiwane, Eastern Cape Provincial Deputy Director-General of Clinical Services, stated
that the authorities were still examining whether the levels detected of this toxic chemical were lethal,
or whether an additional factor leading to death, was involved (ETD, 2022).
Case study: Enyobeni Tavern disaster
During a celebration of hlanjwa iphepha (‘pens down’), a tradition in South Africa that celebrates the
end-of-school exams, 21 people were killed and four people were injured in the Enyobeni Tavern in
East London on 26 June 2022 (Wikipedia, 2022). Initial reports suggested a crowd crush, but this was
not confirmed by the investigating authorities. The owner of the bar, Siyakhangela Ndevu, who was
not present when the deaths occurred, stated that he had received calls from security at around 01:00,
informing him of people attempting to force their way through a gate outside the tavern (Daily
Maverick, 2022).
Promise Matinise, the entertainment manager of the tavern, admitted they lacked the manpower to deal
with overcrowding, explaining that some patrons tried to force their way in. Matinise witnessed people
falling down, as bouncers failed to control the large crowd, and stated that he contacted the owner
upon discovering that some people were dead (Wikipedia, 2022).
A patron stated that, at one stage, a security guard closed the doors and sprayed a chemical into the
crowd. The patron added they were unable to breathe, with some suffocating and many kept pushing
one another to get out of the tavern, but it was no use people were dying. At 04:00 am, a witness
placed a call reporting multiple deaths at the tavern. Seventeen victims – the youngest aged 13 – were
found on the dance floor and in chairs, on couches and at tables, with no obvious signs of injury.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, an investigation was opened into the probable causes of the
deaths. Samples from the bodies of the victims were taken to toxicology laboratories in Cape Town for
analysis. The South African Police Service released a statement regarding the incident, stating that
they would be deploying maximum resources” to the investigation, and that the public should not
speculate on the causes of the deaths (BBC, 2022).
A provincial safety officer said that since there were “no visible wounds”, the cause of death was
likely not a stampede. A spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Community Safety stated
that they had ruled out a stampede entirely, and that the most likely cause of death was poison-related,
pointing to CCTV footage showing hookah pipes at the tavern. Eastern Cape MEC for Safety, Weziwe
Tikana, ruled out a stampede because “there were three young people who were coming to speak to
MEC and her colleagues when they got to the scene, and they fainted along the way”. One of them has
since died while en-route to hospital. An Eastern Cape police spokesperson said the cause of death was
either something ingested or inhaled.
On 29 June, news reports said investigators suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from a petrol
generator operating in the tavern after a power outage in the area. While autopsies had not yet been
completed, the chief medical officer at the local mortuary said the bodies showed signs of “chemical
asphyxia”. However, a different official in the Forensic Pathology Services said “it is highly unlikely
that the cause of death was through fumes from a generator”. On 19 July, it was reported that methanol
was present in the bodies of all 21 deceased. Alcohol poisoning and carbon monoxide were thus ruled
out. Dr Litha Matiwane, Eastern Cape Provincial Deputy Director-General of Clinical Services, stated
that the authorities were still examining whether the levels detected of this toxic chemical were lethal,
or whether an additional factor leading to death, was involved (ETD, 2022).
