Yesterday marked four years since the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy that claimed the lives of 21 teenagers in East London, a day that remains one of the darkest chapters in South Africa’s recent history.
The anniversary coincided with Substance Use Awareness Day, shifting the focus beyond remembrance to a pressing question: has enough changed to prevent another Enyobeni?
The conversation is especially urgent as schools close for the mid-year holidays, a period often associated with “pens-down” celebrations and parties where underage drinking continues to place young people at risk.
While investigations, inquests, and public debate have followed the tragedy since June 26, 2022, organisations working on the ground say the underlying drivers of underage drinking remain deeply rooted. Easy access to alcohol, peer pressure, weak enforcement of liquor laws, and the normalisation of drinking among young people continue to fuel the problem.
In response, prevention efforts are increasingly focusing on young people themselves.
