Methanol was found all over their bodies and investigations are continuing to determine if the levels of the toxic chemical were enough to kill them. “Methanol has been detected in all 21 people who were there, but there is still ongoing analysis of the quantitative levels of methanol and whether it could have been the ultimate cause of death,” said Dr. clinical service, he told a news conference in East London on Tuesday. Authorities are still awaiting final results being conducted at a lab in Cape Town, he said. Methanol is a toxic form of alcohol used industrially as a solvent, pesticide or alternative fuel source. It is not used in the production of alcohol sold for human consumption. It is not yet known how the youngsters ingested the methanol. Alcohol poisoning and carbon monoxide inhalation have been ruled out as possible causes of death, although traces of both were found on the bodies of all 21 victims, Matiwane said. The teenagers died at the Enyobeni Tavern in Scenery Park, East London, in the early hours of June 26, shocking the country and prompting several investigations by police and liquor licensing authorities. Many of the teenagers, aged between 13 and 17, were found dead in the tavern, their bodies strewn across tables and couches. Others died after being rushed to nearby health facilities. South African police will be guided by the final results of the toxicology analysis to determine whether anyone will face criminal charges over the 21 deaths, national police minister Becky Sele said. The owner of the Enyobeni Tavern and some employees were arrested and are currently on bail as they face charges related to breaching the liquor trade laws, including selling liquor to children. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed a mass funeral for the teenagers and promised his government would take action to prevent alcohol being served to under-18s who are legally drinking. The deaths of the youths at the bar in east London are separate from the shootings at three bars in South Africa earlier this month, where a total of 22 people were killed. In all three incidents, the suspects opened fire on patrons before speeding away in their vehicles, and notably the perpetrators did not rob the victims. In the worst incident, gunmen stormed a bar in Johannesburg’s Soweto township and opened fire, killing 16 people.
