Trail of chaos as drunken pupils overrun East London beachfront

Gathering of teens believed to be a ‘pens down’ meet-up to celebrate end of school term on Friday

Residents, businesses and visitors around the East London beachfront were left fuming after hundreds of teenagers swamped the area on Saturday evening, leaving a trail of chaos.

Police confirmed they had received a complaint of public drinking, while irate business owners described the chaos that ensued.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said: “Police can confirm that they received a complaint of public drinking and loud noise at Quigney yesterday (Saturday).

“Immediately, a police patrol vehicle was dispatched to the scene, and on arrival there was no public drinking even though there were drunk people.”

A news team in the area witnessed the youngsters swarm across the bottom of the beachfront in large numbers.

Yesterday morning, metro cleaners had their hands full clearing up the booze bottles.

It is understood the gathering was a planned “pens down” meet-up to celebrate the end of the school term on Friday.

A police officer said the night shift team had their hands full trying to manage the mob of youths that only started leaving the area at about 6am yesterday.

A manager of a food outlet in the area said: “We had to close down early because we could not control them.

“Parents should be aware and responsible for their children.

“Those teens were not supposed to be drinking. Why do these under-aged teens feel they can drink publicly without any repercussions?

SQ Risk SA security site leader Nontobeko Kadeni said: “They were rebellious teens who did not want to take instruction and had poor selfconduct when they were outside the local SPAR.

“We did not anticipate that it would be busy, but they were coming in and out in numbers and we saw them drinking outside the premises.”

Resident Zikhona Mfakadolo said: “I had just come back from work and passed by one of the food outlets to buy a meal.

“I was greeted by hundreds of teens carrying and drinking alcohol.

“When I questioned them they did not bother to respond, while others were already drunk.

“This incident is not far from the Enyobeni tavern tragedy and how are they able to buy alcohol at such an age?

“I am concerned about where they go and how they get home when they are drunk.”

On 26 June last year, 21 young people, most of them under-age children, died during pen’s-down celebrations at the Enyobeni Tavern, in Scenery Park East London.

Mfakadolo said parents were going around Quigney on Saturday night desperately searching for their children after word of the celebration spread.

“I do not know how can this be stopped.

“It is concerning.” Nomtha Gawula of Bhisho, who had visited one of the beachfront hotels, was alarmed by teens who caused chaos on the roads.

“When I visited the bottlestore, there was a queue to get in.

“I was approached by teens who could not enter because they are underage and wanted me to buy them alcohol.

“I was shocked and refused. But that did not stop them.

“Adults outside the shop were being given money by these teens to buy on their behalf.

“You could see they were determined to drink more, as they carried plastic glasses and cool drink mixes.

“When I tried to reprimand them, they kept on saying ‘Do not judge us, as you do not even know us”.

“I was trying to help. It seems like they learnt nothing from the Enyobeni tragedy.”

In March, similar scenes unfolded at a sports festival hosted by Grens High School in Baysville, East London.

Residents of the suburb said it was inundated with teenagers roaming the streets, alcohol in hand.

Yesterday, Eastern Cape Liquor Board spokesperson Mgwebi Msiya said: “We strongly condemn any form of underage drinking and do urge parents to be very vigilant in monitoring the movements of their children.

“In some instances parents give their children excessive pocket money, making it easy for them to purchase alcohol.”