MDANTSANE - Despite the court finding that the manager and owner of Enyobeni Tavern put profits ahead of children's lives, owner Siyakhangela Ndevu maintains his innocence.
Magistrate Mvuselelo Malindi found both the manager and owner grossly negligent after 21 young people were killed on the night of 26 June 2022, during a celebration for the end of their exams.
Ndevu said the buck stops with the parents, not him.
“I’m still here. I’m still standing and I’m still strong. I have done nothing wrong. That thing just happened.
“The people to blame here are the parents who gave their children money to buy alcohol. And they are still drinking even today. They must take responsibility for their children. I still maintain that. And I will say it until Jesus comes back,” Ndevu said.
READ: 'We still don't know the cause of death' - Enyobeni tragedy family
Former tavern bouncer Thembisa Diko, a police officer, and an Eastern Cape Liquor Board official may now also face charges.
The ruling clears the way for the National Prosecuting Authority to proceed with a criminal.
NPA Eastern Cape spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said: “For a criminal case, the prosecution will be tasked with making sure that we prosecute beyond a reasonable doubt and prove to the court that these people are guilty.”
This marks the end of another chapter in the more than four-year wait since the deaths of 21 young people at Enyobeni Tavern. For these families, it brings them a step closer to closure.