Thulisile Mapongwana
The inquest into the deaths of 21 young patrons at Enyobeni Tavern continued this week in the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court — with chilling new footage presented as the court attempts to piece together the tragic events that led to the mass casualty.
On Monday, the court examined CCTV footage from the night of 25 June 2022.
Patrons were seen drinking and dancing, with Magistrate Mvuselelo Malindi noting the venue was already packed by 9pm. This aligns with earlier witness testimony describing the tavern as overcrowded and hot from very early in the evening.
Warrant Officer James Grobler, testifying on the footage, flagged a possible instance of loadshedding, with a two-hour gap visible in the recordings.
When power returned after 11pm, one of the tavern owners, Siyakhangela Ndevu, was seen behind the counter selling alcohol — contradicting his earlier claim that he had left the venue by 9pm.
Monday’s session ended with disturbing clips showing patrons coughing and collapsing in the early hours of 26 June.
Court adjourned after Monday and resumed on Friday, as Evidence Leader Luvuyo Vena was attending to another matter in the East London High Court.
On Friday, more footage was played — this time from around 1:37am — showing the exterior of the tavern.
The venue was still packed, with patrons moving in and out, while others spilled into neighbouring yards.
Although the entrance and exit points were not visible, the court noted the lack of crowd control, as patrons had even closed off the street.
Advocate Vena said the footage corroborates the complaints of neighbours who spoke of “excessive noise, patron nuisance, and the mess left behind after tavern parties.”
He also highlighted multiple violations of the tavern’s operating licence — including the lack of crowd control and the failure to observe the 2am closing time.
Vena stated that these breaches will form the basis of his argument that the tragedy was preventable. “The contraventions, in all their bits and pieces, led to the demise of the 21 minors.”
The court also saw footage of an unconscious patron being carried out and lifted into a private car — shortly before the first EMS vehicle arrived at around 4:17am.
Another video, filmed from the VIP area inside the tavern at about 2am, revealed chaos unfolding downstairs.
A commotion breaks out, and moments later, someone who appears unconscious is carried across the floor.
A body is seen lying in front of the VIP glass sliding door. Soon after, more patrons begin collapsing one after the other.
The scene becomes obstructed when a girl sitting on a nearby bench throws an empty glass bottle through the door, shattering it and obscuring the camera’s view.
However, no tavern staff are visible — only patrons frantically trying to help.
Some are seen collecting water in small bottles and pouring it over unconscious patrons in attempts to revive them. One person is carried to a bench but later falls over.
Outside, the party continues — many patrons unaware of the horror unfolding inside.
About ten witnesses are still expected to testify, including three from the Department of Health who will speak to the post-mortem findings.
The inquest resumes on 22 April.
