SAPS mobilises resources to investigate the death of 21 teenagers

26 June 2022

The Management of the South African Police Service (SAPS) has ordered the deployment of maximum resources as police investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of twenty-one teenagers at a local tavern in Scenery Park, East London.

On Sunday morning at about 04:00 police from the Scenery Park Police Station received a report of the lifeless bodies of the teenagers at a local tavern in the area.

Upon arrival police found seventeen bodies inside the building. It was later established two more died at a local clinic, one died enroute to hospital and another died in hospital.

Nine of the deceased are female while twelve of the deceased are male.

This afternoon, the Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele and the National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola led a high level delegation of crime scene experts and bomb disposal technicians from the National Headquarters of the Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management Component to complement and support the Eastern Cape Crime Scene Investigations teams.

The Minister of Police engaged with local residents and with parents of the deceased at the local mortuary where the process to identify the victims was underway.

Minister Cele has called on residents and affected families to allow police investigations to unfold.

"We have an experienced team that is complementing the provincial team to ensure that we get to the bottom of what has led to the death of these young people. We are also engaging other stakeholders to investigate issues of compliance to liquor legislation ", said the Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele.

Police have since registered an inquest into the death of the teenagers.

Anyone who may have information pertaining what could have transpired is urged to contact police and share information on the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111.

Issued by Colonel Athlenda Mathe, SAPS, 26 June 2022