Africa-Press – South-Africa. Parents of the 21 young people who died mysteriously at Enyobeni tavern on 26 June have accused the Eastern Cape government of toying with their emotions by sitting on a finalised toxicology report instead of announcing the cause of death of their loved ones.
The parents have formed a task team and vowed to challenge the government for sitting on the report.
Premier Oscar Mabuyane confirmed to News24 that he received the report from the Cape Town laboratory last week Wednesday.
However, Mabuyane and the health department said the report is still being analysed.
Parents are up in arms demanding the immediate release of the report because they believe it could shed light on their children’s mystery deaths.
Khululekile Ncandana, father of 17-year-old Bongo Ncandana, who died in the tragedy, felt the government was being inconsiderate.
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“We have decided to form this task team of affected parents to challenge the government because we have been hearing conflicting reports about the report’s status. We feel that the government is playing with our feelings and is playing hide and seek,” said Ncandana.
Ncandana added that they are tired of waiting for answers.
“Something needs to be done. We won’t be silent about this matter involving our children,” he added.
But Mabuyane said: “Following the receipt of the toxicology report, a team of clinician led by a forensic pathologist had to analyse the results, correlate them with the autopsy findings and the environment where the incident occurred.”
He said once the analysis and the report are finalised, the outcome will be released directly to the affected families.
“This is a critical process which the team has to handle with care. Due process has to be followed to protect the integrity of the case being investigated,” he added.
He said the report is still with health practitioners and not with the police.
On Wednesday Mabuyane contacted the health department to get the latest in this process.
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“We are aware that [provincial health] department is engaging with the families to make the necessary arrangements for the release of the report once it’s ready,” the premier added.
Provincial health spokesperson Yonela Dekeda confirmed that health experts are still busy with the report.
“This is a complex exercise and the team is conducting the exercise with thoroughness and diligence. Once the report is finalised, the outcome will be released appropriately,” said Dekeda.
A senior departmental official with close links to the case told News24 that the toxicology report does not establish the cause of death and health experts are comparing the final report with the postmortem results.
Twelve young women and nine young men died under mysterious circumstances at the Scenery Park tavern in the early hours of Sunday 26 June.
No one has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
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