Health Dept gets scathing criticism in SAHRC report for its handling of Enyobeni tragedy

JOHANNESBURG - The Health Department has found itself in the firing line, in the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC)’s report on the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy.

Twenty-one young people between the ages of 13 and 21 died at the establishment in East London in 2022.

The tavern owners have since been convicted of selling alcohol to minors.

On Thursday, the SAHRC released a report on the incident, in which it was scathing of various state institutions, including the Health Department.

The SA Human Rights Commission pointed to different reports from the Health Department on the victims’ cause of death, initially suggesting it was methanol poisoning and later suffocation.

The commission said such a discrepancy “highlights a concerning lack of clarity and consistency in the information provided to the public and the affected families, exacerbating their distress and uncertainty”.

The commission also said that subsequent reports reveal “a troubling pattern of family members contesting the reported cause of death and facing obstacles in accessing relevant information” and that the explanation provided by the department which cited confidentiality and legal constraints “raises questions about transparency and accountability."

Ultimately, the commission has found the department’s handling of the tragedy resulted in violations of the victims' families' rights to dignity.