Tavern tragedy | Venue altered without permission: Liquor Board

EAST LONDON - One of the two doors at the Enyobeni Tavern was closed off according to the Eastern Cape Liquor Board.

It says the venue was approved with two entrances, but during renovations, one was removed.

READ: Enyobeni tavern owner to appear in court 

The Board says they were never informed of the alteration and says this is a gross violation of the Liquor Act.

A toxicology report revealed the 21 teenagers suffocated to death on 26 June.

The Eastern Cape Liquor Board's Mgwebi Msiya said, "when we granted the liquor license there were two entrances, the license was granted on the structure that was compliant with our requirements which include two entrances."

"However, we have found out that the establishment was altered, they upgraded that establishment without coming to us to seek permission without coming to the municipality. We were never made aware. That is a gross violation of our liquor act as well as municipality by-laws, I mean obviously."