LIBODE – The Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) has launched an anti-“Pens Down” campaign at Bhekizulu Senior Secondary School in Libode as Grade 12 learners begin their final examinations, reminding them of the dangers of end-of-exam celebrations.
The campaign, launched at the school yesterday, comes as officials remember the Enyobeni tavern tragedy, where 21 children died in June 2022 during an end-of-exam celebration.
Chief executive officer of the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, Nombuyiselo Makala, said the board still remembered what happened at Nyobeni and had launched similar campaigns in various areas across the province.
“We are here to plead and beg the learners that they should not host or attend these parties because we have noticed that they are so contagious. We have also noticed that these parties are resulting in fatalities.
“We are also talking to the liquor traders that they should not host these parties on their premises because they end up having bad results. We are pleading with community members and parents that, especially this time of the year, after learners finish writing their exams, they (parents) must know their children’s whereabouts,” said Makala.
ECLB urges parents and liquor traders to act
She added that government had reviewed the regulations and was trying to strengthen enforcement to ensure that liquor traders complied.
“For instance now, as they are applying for licences, we are asking that they must have a population certificate which they get from the municipalities. Hence the Mayor of Nyandeni Local Municipality, Councillor Viwe Ndamase, is also here — we are working closely with the municipalities.
“We urge them to issue a population certificate which actually tells them how many people should be in those premises. We are asking the municipalities to go and assess the premises where the applicants are going to operate so that they can issue zoning certificates if they qualify.”
Makala said the board was trying to ensure that liquor traders complied with the requirements and regulations.
According to her, the board did not simply issue licences but attached conditions stating that traders must not allow anyone under the age of 18, schoolchildren or learners on their premises.
She added that there were many requirements and conditions attached to these licences. If traders failed to comply, the Liquor Board could take away their licences and report them to the South African Police Service, where they could be charged with non-compliance.
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School tackles substance abuse
Principal of Bhekizulu Senior Secondary School, Dumisani Ndzekeni, confirmed that the school worked hard to ensure its learners stayed away from substance abuse by conducting drug-awareness programmes.
He said the school was also in partnership with members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to combat drug and substance abuse.
He said the school also conducted checks among learners to ensure they lived healthy lives.
“We encourage them to live without using drugs because life does not depend on drugs.
“As they are going to write, they know that we emphasise that they must try to stay away from drugs. Up to so far, we have almost 10 cases that we have here at school. When we find those who are victims, we have rehabilitation that we work with them. We also refer them to social workers when we see that there is a need to do so,” said Ndzekeni.
School aims for 100% matric pass rate
He said some of the challenges were that most learners facing these difficulties came from child-headed families.
Another factor, he said, was the school’s proximity to town, which made it easier for learners to access substances.
He said some learners believed that they needed to be involved in substance abuse to be happy, while peer pressure was another challenge.
He added that the school was targeting a 100% pass rate for the Grade 12 class of 2026.
According to him, the school obtained a 95% pass rate in 2025 and 90% in 2024. Its third-term results this year stood at 90.4%, making a 100% pass rate possible, he said.
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Municipality backs anti-alcohol campaign
Mayor of Nyandeni Local Municipality, Councillor Viwe Ndamase, said the municipality often experienced young people abusing alcohol on the last day of examinations.
“This year we have partnered with ECLB to come and create awareness among these learners that the end of the examination does not mean the end of their lives. It is just the beginning, and this opens doors for them to tertiary education.
“They must stop abusing the last day of the examination. There are many ways that they can celebrate but abusing alcohol must not be one of those,” said Ndamase.
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