EAST LONDON, South Africa, June 27, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Police in South Africa

were combing a township tavern for evidence on Monday after the mysterious
death of 21 teenagers after a night out.

Most of the victims, some as young as 13 years, were found dead inside a
popular bar in the southern city of East London. Some died later in hospital.

They bore no visible signs of injury, sparking speculation among local
officials and politicians that this was a case of under-age drinking that
went tragically wrong.

Special investigators from Pretoria have been rushed to the scene.

"The detectives will be resuming their work at the crime scene today,"
regional police spokesman Thembinkosi Kinana told AFP.

Many of the victims are thought to have been students celebrating the end of
their high-school exams, officials said.

Autopsies are being conducted to see if the deaths could be linked to
poisoning.

"Post-mortems (were) completed by last night and the bodies will be released
to their families today," said Yonela Dekeda, provincial spokeswoman for the
health department.

Forensic analysis will be conducted this week.

"Samples were taken and were on first flight today to Cape Town, where the
tests will be conducted," said Unathi Binqose, a government official on
safety.

Drinking in South Africa is permitted for over-18s.

But in township taverns which are often located cheek-by-jowl with family
homes, safety regulations and drinking-age laws are not always enforced.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is among those who have voiced concern.

The teenagers reportedly "gathered at a venue which, on the face of it,
should be off-limits to persons under the age of 18," he said.