JOHANNESBURG: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for swift prosecution of anyone culpable in the deaths of 21 young people – mostly underage – at a nightclub in Scenery Park, a working-class community in the South African coastal city of East London.
The youngsters had died on Sunday night while inside the Enyobeni Tavern nightclub in the city, which lies on the Indian Ocean coast, nearly 1,000km (620 miles) south of the commercial capital, Johannesburg. Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at a symbolic state funeral of the victims, whose ages range from 13 to 20, on Wednesday.
The youngest victim at the Enyobeni Tavern, Thembinkosi Silwane, was just 13 years old. Thousands of mourners were in attendance including government officials, schoolmates of the victims and people from neighbouring communities.
Nineteen empty coffins filled a large marquee, as a majority of the families opted to hold private funerals later in the week. Only two young victims were laid to rest on Wednesday; one other victim was buried on Tuesday.
Ramaphosa called it “shameful” that some community members blame the parents of the young victims and the victims themselves for going to the club where they then died. –Agencies
