The Eastern Cape Liquor Board has welcomed the arrest of Enyobeni tavern owner Siyakhangela Ndevu and two of his employees for selling alcohol to underage persons.
The arrest follows a criminal complaint that was laid by the liquor board after the deaths of 21 teenagers at the tavern on June 26.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana said the investigation, among other things, focused on the alleged violation or contravention of the Eastern Cape Liquor Act by permitting or conniving for the selling or supplying of alcohol to children under the age of 18 years, and for selling or supplying of alcohol to children under the age of 18 years
Kinana said Ndevu has been served with summons to appear at the East London magistrate’s court on August 19.
His employees, who were arrested at the weekend and whose identities have not been revealed, have been given an option of paying a fine of R2 000 each in terms of the Liquor Act.
“Should they fail to pay the fine, they will be required to appear in the same court on the 19th August,” said Kinana.
The liquor board’s CEO, Dr Nombuyiselo Makala, said the arrest is a momentous achievement for the board in view of the seriousness of the tavern owner’s violation of the Eastern Cape Liquor Act No 10 of 2003.
Makala said: “We are extremely delighted by the news of the arrest of the Enyobeni tavern owner and the two employees, and we hope these arrests and successful prosecution of the accused persons will send a very strong message to other liquor traders in the province that non-compliance with liquor trading conditions may bear disastrous consequences.
“Selling alcohol to underage persons remains one of the biggest transgressions of our act, and wherever this abhorrent tendency rears its ugly head, we will not hesitate to take drastic actions.”
The Eastern Cape police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene, has reaffirmed the police’s commitment in ensuring that all the investigations around the Scenery Park tragic incident are conducted in a more professional and well-organised manner for a successful prosecution and subsequent conviction.
Mene said: “Just as we said in the beginning, investigation is a process and needs to be treated with extreme care and wisdom so that we can achieve the desired outcomes which all of us will be proud of. This is the beginning of the great work we are doing behind the scenes.”
The forensic investigation into the cause of the deaths of the teenagers is still ongoing. Kinana said the results would be made available to affected families at an appropriate time.
Also read: Enyobeni owner due in court in August for contravening Liquor Act
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
