The Baby Lee Jegels Crescent Park on the East London beachfront was turned into a pens-down party venue over the weekend. Photo: iStock
Five minors were taken to hospital on Saturday night after alcohol abuse took its toll when hundreds of young revellers descended on the newly-opened Baby Lee Jegels Crescent Park on the East London beachfront for a pens-down party on Saturday evening.
Despite the Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) embarking on an anti-pens-down party campaign this year – judging by the past weekend – young people are still flocking in their numbers to these parties traditionally held to celebrate the end of matric final exams.
According to Buffalo City Metro (BCM) spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya, the five partygoers who were treated at hospital for “overdrinking”, were all underage and not matriculants.
“These parties are not just attended by matrics. EMS [East London Emergency Medical Services] treated some in attendance onsite, but these five minors needed drips and extra care,” Ngwenya explained.
“Alcohol bottles and cans, including vodka, brandy and ciders, were emptied and warnings were issued to law breakers to vacate.”
ALSO READ: Matrics, don’t go to ‘dangerous’ pens-down parties or rip up your uniform
DispatchLIVE reported that the party – which started at Eastern Beach but ended up at the R87-million recreational park opened last month in honour of slain champion boxer Leighandre “Baby Lee” Jegels – was attended by about 700 youngsters.
According to the publication, the Daily Dispatch was at the pens-down party when it was in full swing.
It claims that there was no law enforcement authorities, apart from two private security guards who “did not stop the teenagers from drinking”.
Ngwenya, however, said the metro’s security cluster “had their hands full” over the weekend due to pens-down party chaos in the metro.
“Despite all the warnings, the safety and security cluster had to respond to such parties at the East London beachfront, Amalinda and Dimbaza on Saturday night,” the spokesperson said in response to the incident.
He added that on Friday night, a joint operation was conducted against pens-down parties. During the operation, taverns in Nompumelelo township and Ducats were visited, as well as pubs in Abbotsford and Beacon Bay.
Roadblocks were set up along the beachfront at Fleet Street, Esplanade and Bowls Road where 15 drunk drivers were arrested.
According to Ngwenya, a total of 15 children also had to be escorted home as part of prevention of missing people, while “one parent was assisted to locate and rescue her child at the beachfront”.
The spokesperson expressed the municipality’s disappointment in some parents for neglecting their responsibility “to control their children who drink excessively in the name of school exams pens-down”.
“The metro has issued several warnings to parents to be vigilant, monitor their children and not allow them to attend drinking parties or celebrations in the name of schooling activities.”
“After last year’s Enyobeni tragedy, it is important for parents to take responsibility for their children’s actions and whereabouts and make it their business to monitor their children’s movements.
“Government interventions alone cannot be the only solution to this problem.”
ALSO READ: You can’t stop matrics from partying, so let’s at least be sensible about it
This year’s pens-down parties or “ukuhlamba iphepha” as they are referred to, are taking place while the trial of the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy which claimed the lives of 21 young people, is still ongoing.
The tavern owners – Siyakhangela and Vuyokazi Ndevu – are on trial at the East London Magistrate’s Court for serving alcohol to minors at what was believed to be a pens-down party on 26 June 2022.
The youngest victim of the tragic incident was only 13 years old.
ALSO READ: Enyobeni Tavern owners’ application for dismissal of charges denied
ECLB spokesperson Mgwebi Msiya had the following to say after Saturday’s pen-down drunken chaos at the beachfront:
“We are really disappointed. This after efforts of warning the community on Friday after we were tipped about planned pens-down parties.
“We were informed about five places in the Eastern Cape where teenagers were planning pens-down parties, including Mthatha, Mdantsane and Makhanda. We referred all those places to police and to our liquor inspectors.”
He also expressed his disappointment that the Baby Lee Jegels Crescent Park was turned into a drinking spot in a matter of weeks after its opening.
In a previous statement, ECLB CEO Nombuyiselo Makala urged parents, community leaders and members of the community to be on the lookout for the movements and whereabouts of children during this time, and where these parties are suspected to be held.
Pens-down parties can be reported to the nearest police station or the Eastern Cape Liquor Board by calling the toll-free number 080 000 0420 or sending a WhatsApp message to 076 403 6223.
NOW READ: IFP calls on KZN government to ban matric ‘pens-down’ celebrations
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