We are all guilty in Enyobeni tavern tragedy

There are still unanswered questions about how 21 youngsters died in a tavern in East London. And, knowing the slow way our wheels of justice grind, it’s going to be some time before we get answers.

But, whatever the cause is eventually determined to be – and whoever is held legally responsible – the awful tragedy focuses a spotlight on our society.

Many blamed the tavern owner for putting profits above safety. Yet, video evidence shows there were hundreds of children swamping the venue, eager to celebrate the end of mid-year exams.

Others accused licensing authorities of not enforcing laws barring admission to those aged under 18. That is a fair issue to raise – along with the linked one of why the police in the area did not do their jobs to prevent underage clubbing and drinking.

ALSO READ: Enyobeni tragedy: Tavern owner to face criminal charges – ECLB

Yet, at the heart of the problem is the fact that many South Africans are reckless in the way they abuse alcohol and party endlessly. Our addiction to booze is the root of many of the evils in our society – the main one being gender-based violence.

As is clear from what happened in East London, our children are picking up the taste for booze at younger and younger ages. This “live for today” attitude among youngsters does show individual irresponsibility but is also a reflection of a fatalistic “eat, drink and be merry” approach to life, given that many pupils, in townships particularly, have little prospect of building better lives for themselves.

Yet, an onerous responsibility must fall on the shoulders of the parents, who allowed kids as young as 13 to be out boozing into the early hours of the morning. Inasmuch as it takes a village to help a child grow, it also takes a village to allow one to die. We are all guilty.