At least 22 young people have been found dead in a nightclub near the city of East London in South Africa. The dead are said to be between the ages of 13 and 17, and the cause of death is currently unknown.
Less than 20 minutes ago
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It was a prominent police minister who on Sunday said that the young people who were found dead were between 13 and 17 years old.
According to Aljazeera Police Minister Bheki Cele is said to have burst into tears when he spoke to local media, after coming out of the morgue.
– It’s a cruel sight. They are quite young. When you are told that they are 13-14 years old, and you go in and see them. It’s crushing.
The youths were found dead at a nightclub near the city of East London, in the province of Eastern Cape, South Africa.
No signs of physical injury
The bodies were found lying on tables, chairs and on the floor, without any obvious signs of damage, writes the local media house DispatchLive according to Aljazeera.
The cause of death is still unknown, but there has been several speculations. According to the local media Times Live, it was first reported that people had been trampled to death. However, Unathi Binqose, representative of the Eastern Cape Province’s Department of Social Affairs and Security, has ruled out this as a possible cause of death.
– It is difficult to believe that this may be the cause, as there is no visible damage to the dead.
This he has said outside the nightclub, writes Aljazeera. Here he also told that the young people were gathered for an exam celebration. According to Times Live Local The Daily Dispatch has also reported that poisoning could be a possible cause of death.
Syianda Manana, a spokeswoman for the Eastern Cape Province Health Authority, said the bodies would be autopsied immediately to confirm the cause of death. reporter Aljazeera.
–The President with criticism
President Cyril Ramaphosa has offered condolences to the families affected by the incident.
He has also expressed concern that children were allowed to gather in a nightclubreporter Aljazeera.
A 17-year-old girl who lives near the nightclub has according to Aljazeera said that the nightclub was a popular place for teenagers, but that the locals now want the club closed down.
– Everyone wants it shut down because they sell alcohol to minors. Everyone is angry and everyone is sad because of what has happened, she says.
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