JOHANNESBURG - The SA Human Rights Commission has welcomed the inquest findings that several individuals failed to act to prevent the Enyobeni tragedy.
The Commission’s Eileen Carter is calling on government to expedite alcohol law reforms.
“The World Health Organization has pointed towards South Africa being amongst the top 10 consumers of alcoholic beverages, and it certainly leads to a scourge of incidences that are preventable.
“We also found in our report that from a systemic failures point of view, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Social Development have failed to progress legislation that is designed from South Africa's policies to prevent and address these issues.
“So, for more than 10 years, the liquor amendment bill as well as the Control of Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages bill have just been lying dormant and it hasn't been properly progressing through the structures yet.
“Now, as a result of this inquest outcome as well, the Commission will now be calling for meetings with the relevant ministers so that we can see where the holdup is in progressing these pieces of legislation that speak to protecting the rights not only of the youngsters who tragically died in this incident, but South Africa as a whole,” Carter said.
On 26 June 2026, a total of 21 young people were killed at Enyobeni Tavern. The youngest victim was 13 years old.