South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday mourned 22 teenagers who died at a tavern in East London, Eastern Cape Province, in the early hours of the day.

Mr Ramaphosa is “concerned about the reported circumstances under which such young people were gathered at a venue which, on the face of it, should be off limits to persons under the age of 18,” said a statement issued by the presidency.

The tragedy was made even more grave as it occurred during Youth Month, Mr Ramaphosa said in the statement.

South African police are investigating the case.

The presidency statement did not give the cause of the death, saying the president is waiting for more information.

Family members of the deceased wept outside a mortuary in the area, while other people tried to comfort them.

There are both girls and boys among the victims, including a 13-year-old, Minister of Police Bheki Cele, who led a national delegation to the scene, told the media.

“When you look at their faces, you realise that you are dealing with kids, kids, kids, kids. You have heard the story that they are young, but when you see them, you realise that is a disaster,” he said.

The doctor who is leading the autopsy told the minister that forensic experts were still collecting the information, said Mr Cele, adding that they confirmed that “the death is not natural.”

The minister added that they would take a few samples to toxicology in Cape Town, which is more advanced.

The delegation consists of national commissioner of South African police Fannie Masemola, crime scene experts and bomb disposal technicians.

Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, which includes East London, said earlier that more than 20 young people died in the incident.

It is the “worst tragedy that has ever happened in our metro,” its mayor Xola Pakati said in a statement.

The police had refused to make any speculations about the cause, but said they were hoping to get the facts “before the end of the day.”

(Xinhua/NAN)