Four years after the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy that claimed 21 young lives, a pivotal court ruling finds owners liable, yet they remain defiant, shifting blame to victims’ parents.
Four years after 21 teenagers died at Enyobeni Tavern, owner Siyakhangela Ndevu remains defiant, insisting he did nothing wrong and placing responsibility on parents despite an East London Regional Court ruling that found the former owners liable for the tragedy.
"I did nothing wrong. The parents are to blame for what happened. They are the ones who gave their children money to drink. They are the ones who must take responsibility for their children," he stated.
Magistrate Mvuselelo Malindi handed down his verdict of Friday after a lengthy inquest exploring the circumstances surrounding the horrifying events of the night in question.
The ruling comes four years after the tragedy in which 21 young people died. The youngest victim was 13. Despite the court finding both the manager and owner grossly negligent for failing to comply with the Liquor Act, Ndevu maintained that parents should bear the blame.
