There is still no conclusive evidence about what led to the deaths of 21 teenagers at an East London tavern in June.
Police Minister Bheki Cele, his deputy Cassel Mathale, Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane, Buffalo City mayor Xola Pakati and his deputy Princess Faku met with the families of the deceased on Tuesday to give an update of preliminary findings.
A toxicology laboratory in Cape Town is conducting further tests following the autopsy of the 21 bodies at an East London mortuary.
The Eastern Cape health deputy director-general, Dr Litha Matiwane, said preliminary results have ruled out excessive alcohol consumption or carbon monoxide.
However, he said the amount of methanol that has been detected on all the 21 individuals is being investigated as a potential cause of death.
Matiwane said: “We have received the blood results from the lab, and tests were done on the blood alcohol levels, carbon monoxide levels and preliminary qualitative methanol levels.
“For blood alcohol tests, the levels range from 0.05 grams to 0.026 per 100 millilitres which in itself is not conclusive of lethal toxicology. So, at this point in time we cannot say that was the final cause of death.”
He said the carbon monoxide has also been ruled out because its levels range from 3.3 to 21% saturation of hemoglobin.
“Under normal circumstances, you expect toxicology or lethal levels to be above 50%, and so again this might not yet be the cause of what we are looking at as a final cause of lethal toxicology.
“The last part that we were looking at and the results that have come through is that of methanol. The methanol has been detected in all the 21 individuals that were there, however, there is still progressive analysis of the levels.”
Mabuyane said the families are still battling to deal with their losses because the wounds are still fresh, noting that when there are further updates, the government will address the families individually.
“Today we’ve convened this meeting to give the families the preliminary report in terms of what was found in the laboratory. Stampede was assumed as a cause of death but was immediately ruled out after the autopsy,” said Mabuyane.
“There’s a sense of direction to what science is telling us through the investigation done in our laboratories.”
Cele emphasised the amount of pain that the families are going through, saying the investigations are continuing and the police are not ruling out more arrests or charges.
Enyobeni tavern owner Siyakhangela Ndevu has been summoned to appear in court on August 19. Two of his employees were also arrested and released on bail a week ago.
Police said at the time that they were considering giving each of the employees a fine of R2 000 for selling alcohol to underage people.
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