Pens-down parties death toll escalates
The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in South Africa’s (SAAPA SA) is calling on the Eastern Cape Government and the Eastern Cape Liquor Board to close all outlets hosting alcohol fueled parties aimed at children under 18.
According to the alliance, a total of 25 children have died in the Eastern Cape in the last 13 months in similar circumstances.
June last year, a total of 21 minors succumbed to alcohol poisoning at the Enyobeni Tarven in East London.
Latest victim is a 17-year-old Thanduxolo Mcoteli who passed away after a pens-down drinking party in Mazamomhle F Section in East London.
“The unfortunate and tragic death of teenager, Thanduxolo Mcoteli supports the Southern
African Alcohol Policy Alliance in South Africa’s (SAAPA SA) point that we cannot accept the lack
of enforcement of laws around selling alcohol to minors.
No concrete impactful changes are being made to protect children from alcohol harm, by the
National and Provincial government in the Eastern Cape is unacceptable.
“We have been saying without any real coordinated and evidence-based changes, we will
continue to see these kinds of incidents in our communities, and we have implored government
to respond and to intervene. National and provincial government’s failure to do so has now led
to another death and the blame is squarely to be laid at their door
“This latest teenager whose life was cut short will not be the last if government at all levels does
not urgently address the regulation of availability, advertising and pricing, and the enforcement
of licenses especially within residential areas. The current situation is creating an environment
where South African children are not being protected from alcohol harm, as our legislation
stipulates,” said Aadielah Maker
Diedericks from SAAPA SA.
Mcoteli’s distraught mother was quoted in media reports saying she cursed the
pens-down parties held during the June holidays, which were claiming the lives of children. She
woke up at 7am on Sunday morning to the news that her son who was not a regular consumer
of alcohol had died after attending a pens-down party at a tavern.
He died in a shack fire and no foul play is expected.
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