KUGOMPO CITY - Four years after the devastating Enyobeni Tavern tragedy, the families of the 21 children who died still do not know the cause of death.
Among them is Xolile Malangeni, whose 17-year-old daughter Esinako Sanarhana was one of the victims.
On the night of 26 June 2022, pupils gathered at Enyobeni Tavern in Scenery Park, Eastern Cape, to celebrate the end of their exams in what is called a pens down party.
The celebrations turned into one of South Africa's deadliest youth tragedies when 21 teenagers lost their lives. The youngest of the deceased was 13 years old.
“We do not know the cause of death. Nobody is explaining anything. The only thing they are saying is that there was overcrowding and the kids suffocated,” Malangeni said.
Malangeni's journey to healing has been a rollercoaster of emotions, especially when Esinakho’s birthday approaches.
But over the years, the pain has gotten better as the family has found ways to remember her.
“Every year on Esinako’s birthday, her sister has a mini celebration. We also went to her grave site to clean and left flowers.
Malangeni said the hard moments are around June, when his mind goes back to the tragic day.
“That is when it hurts the most. In the past weeks, I recently went to the doctor, and he told me that I have a lot of stress. There are a lot of sleepless nights.”
The inquest, which began in July 2024, has already reached its final stage.
A lawyer for the families has described the incident as catastrophic, saying that if the tavern's owners had enforced stricter security measures and adhered to the Liquor Board's regulations, the tragedy would not have occurred.
Judgment in the Enyobeni Tavern inquest has been reserved for 10 July in the Mdantsane Magistrate’s Court and Malangeni clings to the hope that justice will prevail.
"We want the person behind all of this to be held accountable. That will be closure for us. "