Tavern stampede survivor thought she was to die
THEMBAKAZI Tshimsila thought she was going to die. Trapped under bodies, her leg was broken and her voice was hoarse from shouting for help.
Her night out with friends at Osi’s Place had turned into a nightmare and one of her close friends, Vuyolwethu Mbono, 17, had been killed in the stampede early on Sunday morning.
“It is so sad that a night out to have fun would turn out so tragically,” she said.
She was one of six people injured. Eight young women, including a 15-year-old, died in the tragedy. There are allegations that shots were fired in the tavern moments before the stampede. As people ran for the door, the railing on the 3m-high staircase gave way.
Yesterday, with her leg in a cast, Tshimsila, 18, said she and her friends were having a good time and it was after 2am when they decided to go home. They had just exited when a large group of people started running towards them.
“In no time people fell on us. I was buried underneath many people and at first I cried for help. I thought I was dying until someone pulled me out of the bodies,” said Tshimsila.
“I cried for help so many times until I lost my voice.
She said the tavern had been overly full. A heartbroken Tshimsila said she and Mbono were pupils at Sinako High School and had been close friends.
Mbono’s eldest sister Phumla Gladile, 26, said she was told by her mother that Mbono had vanished from the house at about 9pm on Saturday. They found out on Sunday morning that she had died in the tragedy. Gladile said the tavern owner was “disrespectful as he had not visited the family”. “We heard he is hiding behind closed doors and does not want to speak about what happened,” she said.
Tshimsila said she hoped the authorities would close down the tavern and arrest the owner. Other survivors the Cape Times interviewed include Onesimo Rasmeni, 17, Yonela Pamla, 18, and Simthini Ngotyeni, 20, who all said they had bruises after falling from the staircase.
“There should have been a bouncer and people should not have been allowed to come inside when it was clear that the venue was full. For being ignorant and selfish, the owner must get arrested and the place must be closed down for good,” said Tshimsila.
Yesterday the tavern remained closed and neighbours refused to speak to the media. Police spokesperson André Traut said police were still investigating.
“There are no developments to share at this stage,” Traut said.