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Buffalo City Municipality said five children were taken to hospital due to “incidents related to excessive drinking” as hundreds of learners held so-called pens down parties in several areas of the Metro on Saturday night.
City spokesperson, Samkelo Ngwenya, said 15 learners were also escorted home as part of their prevention of missing persons strategy, while one parent was assisted to find her child on the beachfront.
He said Metro Law Enforcement, Traffic Services, Fire, Disaster Management and the police “had their hands full” as an estimated 700 teenagers descended on the beachfront.
“Roadblocks were set up along the beachfront area in Fleet Street, Esplanade and Bowls Road where BCM and Provincial traffic officers arrested 15 drunk drivers,” Ngwenya said.
He said in the aftermath of the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy, where 21 young people died under still mysterious circumstances, it is important for parents to take responsibility for their children’s actions and know their whereabouts.
“The Metro has issued several warnings to parents to be vigilant, monitor their children and not allow them to attend drinking parties/ celebrations in the name of schooling activities,” Ngwenya said.
He said joint operations were also held on Friday night where several taverns were visited to check on compliance.
Ngwenya said BCM commended the owners of taverns, clubs, shebeens, and bottle stores who took responsibility to comply with their license conditions and ensured that underaged children were not served alcohol on their premises.
