Enyobeni survivor recalls ‘dying’

Azola Witbooi (26) gave a testimony at Mdantsane magistrate’s court on Tuesday, recalling how she thought she was dying at a birthday celebration held at Enyobeni Tavern two years ago. Witbooi is the sixth witness to take the stand in the Enyobeni Inquest which is expected to continue until the 23rd of this month.

The purpose of the inquest is to determine if anyone should be held liable for the deaths of 21 young people who died two years ago.

She told the court that she went to the tavern after seeing a poster in a taxi driven by one of the two local DJs, advertising their birthdays celebration on the day in question. “I left home after 20h00, and arrived at Enyobeni around 21h00. I stood outside and called my friend Orere who was a performer during that night. Orere came to fetch me and we got inside at the upper level of the establishment. He gave me a beer and some shots which I consumed.”

Witbooi said when she left her friend to go back to the ground level hours later, but got stuck at the stairs. “I stood for 30 minutes stuck as there was no movement. I was not moving back or forward and my foot was stuck but I managed to take it out. I then lost my breath as there was not enough oxygen to breath,” she said.

She lost hope when she heard a man panic. “There was a guy next to me who was crying, I felt hopeless as this person was older than me but was crying about dying, I also thought I was dying.”

Witbooi said she regained her consciousness lying near a sliding door, where there were people praying. “When I woke up I was by a sliding done and I was not aware who took me there but next to me there was my friend crying, begging me to wake up.” While others were praying, there were a few who were unconscious lying on the ground.

Witbooi managed to call her mother: “I told her I was dying. At the time I was feeling cold and my right side was numb, I could not move my arm and could not walk.” When the paramedics arrived, they could see she was unable to walk and she was laid on a stretcher. Her mother found her as she was being carried downstairs.

She told the court she received no help from staff at the tavern. “The paramedics took me to Frere hospital where I was examined at the emergency room and referred for an X-ray. I sustained injuries in the elbow, behind the ear and I had bite marks,” she said. The hospital discharged her but she had to return; Witbooi said it took a year for her to recover from the injury to her arm.

The DJ’s testimony

The Enyobeni employee and resident DJ Luhlumelo ‘Cish’ Ulana whose birthday was being celebrated on the day, told the court on Monday that the tragedy could have been avoided had there been more than one entry door.

Ulana said the manager, who he had informed of his party plans, failed to ensure safety measures to control the crowd. “Our duty was to host the celebration and increase sales; we were not responsible for security,” he said. Enyobeni Tavern manager, Siyakhangela Ndevu was responsible for arranging security, by his account, while he and a friend, DJ Spha, were tasked with increasing sales at the establishment.

Ulana said as organisers they were expecting around 110 people, however the turnout was more than that. “It was overcrowded so much that people could not move but they were still served alcohol,” he said.

More witnesses are expected to take the stand this week, including the paramedics who arrived on the scene.