Izuchukwu Okosi
No less than 20 people have been found dead in a nightclub in South Africa’s East London city, officials have disclosed on Sunday.
Bodies were found at the Enyobeni Tavern Sunday morning and reports say several people were injured.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation as we speak,” a police spokesman told the media.
“We do not want to make any speculations at this stage,” Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said.
A large number of emergency service personnel are on the scene in the Eastern Cape province.
Relatives of the victims have been unable to see their bodies, reports say, and locals have called for the venue to be closed.
Eastern Cape Police Commissioner Nomthetheleli Lilian Mene told SABC News that “there was an alleged stampede inside the tavern”.
Four people have been taken to hospital, SABC further added.
South Africa’s Minister of Police Bheki Cele was on his way to the Eastern Cape with an additional team of experts to help with investigations, the province’s premier Oscar Mabuyane said.
“We can’t believe it. Young people who were not sick, young people who should be with their families enjoying their winter holidays – they just have lost their lives like that,” he said ruefully.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
