People attend the mass funeral for 21 young victims of last week's tavern tragedy in East London. Photo: Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua via Getty Images
Three people have been arrested in connection with the mysterious deaths of 21 teenagers in a South African nightclub in East London, a town in the south of the country. In the early hours of the 26th of June, the bodies of the victims, who were aged 13-17, were found sprawled across tables at the Enyobeni tavern with no visible wounds. They are believed to have been out celebrating the end of their exams. Authorities conducting the autopsies say it could take weeks to find out the cause of the deaths, but they believe the most likely cause is a gas leak that led to chemical asphyxiation. The suspects arrested include the owner of the Enyobeni tavern and two employees. The arrests followed an investigation by the Eastern Cape Liquor Board into the selling of alcohol to the underaged teens. The tavern’s owner is expected to appear in court on the 19th of August, while the employees have been given the option to pay a fine of 2,000 South African rand (£98, $117) instead of appearing in court. The arrests come just days after President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed mourners at a mass burial for the 21 teenagers and promised that his government would ensure justice for the families of the victims.