President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to attend Wednesday’s mass funeral service for 21 young people who died in an East London tavern, his office announced on Tuesday.
He would be joined by Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and provincial leaders in comforting the families of the deceased young people.
The youth – some as young as 13 – died in the early hours of June 26 at the Enyobeni Tavern in East London’s Scenery Park.
Investigations are still underway to determine the exact cause of the deaths, according to the police.
The service is set for Scenery Park Sports Field on Wednesday morning.
Ramaphosa has called on civil society organisations and communities to work with the government in the fight against the scourge of underage drinking in South Africa.
NM/jn/APA