Eastern Cape Liquor Board launches Anti-Pens Down campaign

The Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) has launched an Anti-Pens Down campaign in the province to strengthen the fight against illegal drinking.

EASTERN CAPE LIQUOR BOARD ADDRESSES UNDERAGE DRINKING

On Wednesday, 19 October, the Eastern Cape Liquor Board representatives held a programme at Dimbaza Moses Twebe Hall in the Bullafo City Metropolitan Municipality where learners and the community were educated about the campaign.

“As preparations for the end of the year examinations are in full swing, the ECLB is extremely worried about the rapidly developing culture of ‘Pens Down’ events that are organised to celebrate the end of examinations.”

ECLB

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LIQUOR BODY’S OBJECTIVE EXPLAINED TO LEARNERS

The Eastern Cape Liquor Board says this campaign will be one of many initiatives to strengthen the fight against underage drinking in the province and ensuring the future of young people is safeguarded.

“ECLB seeks to mitigate the scourge of underage drinking and the ‘Pens Down’ culture that is a celebration of the end of examinations and is regrettably characterized by excessive consumption of alcohol that often results in very horrific incidents, such as the Enyobeni Tavern incident,” the body stated.

ENYOBENI TAVERN A REMINDER OF A PENS DOWN DISASTER

The Enyobeni Tavern tragedy remains as a heart-breaking reminder of a pens down party that went terribly wrong.

On 26 June 2022, 21 underage children died during celebrations at the Enyobeni Tavern, a shebeen in East London, Eastern Cape. It’s reported that the deceased children flocked to the tavern to ‘wash the paper’ when they were suffocated by a toxic substance on the premises.

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Nevertheless, Eastern Cape Liquor Board added that the launch will be used as a launchpad for a concerted campaign that will convey message on the dangers of underage drinking and discourage the culture of ‘Pens Down’ under the Theme: My Future Matters, Alcohol Must Wait.

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