Enyobeni tavern owners sentenced to a fine of R5,000 each or 100 days in prison

JOHANNESBURG - The Enyobeni tavern owners who were found guilty of selling alcohol to minors have been sentenced to a fine of R5,000 each or 100 days in prison. 

Siyakhangela and Vuyokazi Ndevu were sentenced in the East London Magistrates Court on Friday morning. 

Twenty-one young people mysteriously lost their lives in 2022 at the establishment while celebrating the end of mid-year exams.

In handing down sentencing, Magistrate Kevin von Bratt emphasised that it was important for the public to keep in mind that proceedings were not meant to deal with the deaths of the 21 minors but rather the contravention of the Liquor Act, a charge the Ndevu’s were convicted on. 

Von Bratt said it was impossible to determine how much knowledge the Ndevu’s had of what was going in terms of liquor being sold to minors. 
 
The court established beyond reasonable doubt that at least one minor was sold alcohol on the night in question. 

Von Bratt said it is sobering to think that if there had been proper policing and control measures in place, the victims would not have died. 

A formal inquest into their deaths is still expected to take place to find out what happened on that night.