22 people found dead in South African nightclub

Police forensic teams in South Africa are investigating the deaths of 22 young people at a nightclub and bar in the southern coastal town of East London.

Specialists have yet to establish the cause of the tragedy, which occurred during end of school year celebrations by teenagers. Local residents raised the alarm at around 4am, officials said.

Bheki Cele, the police minister, tried to calm an angry crowd of relatives and residents at the cordoned-off crime site at Enyobeni Tavern in a poor neighbourhood known as Scenery Park.

Toxicology tests will established if the casualties were poisoned, officials said.

Unverified pictures shared on social media showed bodies with no visible signs of injuries, lying on the floor of the club.

Autopsies are expected to give a clearer idea of what happened in the nightclub, which was reported to be very crowded.

The Eastern Cape provincial community and safety department official Unathi Binqose, speaking from the scene, ruled out a stampede as a cause of the deaths.

Local television showed police officers trying to calm a crowd of parents and onlookers gathered outside the club.

Many such venues exist in both urban and rural areas in South Africa, and often flout licensing laws. Overstretched police forces and local government officials often turn a blind eye to such law-breaking, sometimes in return for bribes.

Cele said he had been told that the tavern was known for underage drinking and told local parents they needed to take responsibility for their children.

President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his condolences to families and said he was worried about the circumstances under which young people, potentially under the age of 18 years, were allowed to gather at the tavern. Ramaphosa said in a statement the law must take its course once investigations conclude.