Esinakho Malangeni (17) is one of the 21 children who died under mysterious circumstances at Enyobeni Tavern, SceneryPark in East London in June. The youngest victim was aged 13. Her father, Xolile Malangeni (54) has vowed, " I will fight for you until the day I die. I will seek the truth until I am lying next to you, even if this journey brings me next to you. Esinakho's doting father is convinced that something evil happened to his child that night. He believes that the post mortem findings are so gruesome that it prompted the Eastern Cape Department of Health to restrict all access to the report during the official announcement last week in East London. "Crushed and suffocated. How do you tell parents this and then ask them to wait for more details in the next episode," he laments what he calls utter disrespect from medical and legal professionals within the Eastern Cape government.
IT'S PAINFUL
Intimately hugging an A2 portrait of his late daughter, Malangeni breaks down into tears in front of his wife and children as he recalls the life of his last born daughter, a daddy's girl by his own admission. The inconsolable father says the last three months have been characterised by tremendous pain, confusion, and lies. The last time he remembers being at peace was the hours leading up to the death of his "Nini", as they referred to each other. The two had been having their usual post-work cup of tea on Saturday evening. She was explaining why she is so certain that she wants to be a lawyer, in preparation for tertiary the following year. "She was my beautiful lady -bold and confident. I called her Jill Scott. Owuu mntanam!"
THE LAST THEY SAW OF HER
Esinakho, a matric learner at Sakhikamva High school in Nompumelelo Informal Settlement, got a visit from her school friends while she was with her father. He released her to attend to them, while he retreated to his bedroom. He claims that she was wearing a pink night gown and the group hung around the yard. That was the last time he would see her alive. "I was woken up at 3:45 by young men shouting at the gate that there has been an incident in Scenery Park involving two of my children. This came as a shock to me because my children were in the house," he states. His wife, Nombulelo informed him that Esinakho had asked for permission to visit family members nearby, accompanied by her cousin. Apparently, when she left, she was still wearing her pink gown. "On my way to Scenery Park, I wanted to go see for myself. None of this made sense to me. Why would my child be there? My daughter did not drink, nor did she attend parties," he says covering his face with both hands.
IDENTIFYING HER BODY
Esinakho is said to have lived an admirable lifestyle. She came home straight from school. She helped her mother run a cr?che from home. Neighbours and relatives attest that this is possibly the first ever party that Esinakho attended. When Malangeni arrived at eNyobeni tavern around 4am, ambulances were speeding past them at the street entrance. He found the house barricaded and was denied entry.The police had not arrived yet. "I stood outside that house until midday, with officials going up and down, not giving us any information. To be honest, two hours into this mayhem I felt that I had to give up, my daughter, she was gone," he sobs. At midday, the families were instructed to go to the hospital or a local mortuary. He went straight to the mortuary and discovered her body. He is unable to put this memory into words, instead his whole body shudders.
WHAT CAUSED THEIR DEATH
This was the beginning of weeks of pain and anger caused by lack of information from the cousin who went with Esinakho, The 15-year old cousin who survived Enyobeni is yet to share details of what transpired that night. Attempts to get closure from the post mortem results and a toxicology report have also proven futile. On Thursday, 2 September, Health officials met with the parents to share "limited information" about the second results which claim that the teenagers died by suffocation. This follows the initial report in July that there was a gas substance found in the children's system.
GO TO COURT
However, parents were denied access to the full report. Malangeni says families of the 21 victims were told to apply through the courts in order to gain access to a detailed toxicology report as it is confidential. This was confirmed by the department. "The toxicology report belongs to us, this was my child and I have the right to know how she perished," he laments. He has rejected the proposed process of applying to the courts, claiming that courts are places for conflict resolution. The group of parents have decided to handle the matter personally and have requested that the government ceases to assist them. "We are being treated like children. We are being treated like fools," he lashed out.
COPING WITH THE LOSS
Malangeni puts up a brave face in the midst of authorities, but he says, behind closed doors, he is a mess. As the man of the house, he claims he is under so much pressure to do right by his child, but he also has to make sure that other family members are coping.He adds that both he and his wife have lost considerable weight in the past 62 days.Although the family is receiving counselling, they have found it to be more damaging than helpful as one of the counsellors assigned told his wife that our daughter is dead and she will remain dead, there is nothing that will bring her back.
