A night meant for celebration turned into a nightmare that still haunts Chatsworth 25 years later.
On 24 March 2000, what should have been a joyous end-of-term party at Throb Nightclub spiralled into chaos when a teargas canister was deliberately set off inside the packed venue. In the panic and stampede that followed, 13 young lives were lost, and countless others were left scarred—physically and emotionally. A quarter of a century may have passed, but for the families of the victims and the survivors, the pain remains as raw as ever.
Among the victims were Jadeine Mohunlal (11), Guresha Naidoo (15), Prean Govindsamy (15), Junaid Gaffoor (18), Leeosha Sowrimuthu (14), Nolan Pillay (17), Preston Premsingh (13), Sumaya Jhetam (13), Chantal Maduray (16), Vaneshree Pillay (16), Rory Soobramoney (15), Sumeshan Govender (12), and Sumaya Kudoos (16). Hundreds of other teenagers survived the horrific event, but the trauma of that fateful day lingers in their memories.
One survivor, Amanda Naidoo shared her experience. She said: “I have had many things happen to me, but this I still can’t get over. My younger sister and I survived—we were 14 and 16 at the time, and I was a month away from turning 17. We both had different experiences, but it was still very traumatic. It was my matric year, and since I did well and got an exemption, my parents were very supportive. When they saw us after the incident, they just said, ‘As long as you both are okay, that’s all that matters.’
“The terrifying part was that it felt like hours, yet it was just a few minutes. I was part of the crowd that tried running out through the staircase—luckily, not among the first few. The stampede caused me to get crushed, and from running, I ended up flat over maybe three layers of other kids. I lay there horizontally, hearing the same song, full of bass, on repeat. Then it suddenly stopped, and I heard kids saying, “Please help.” I looked under me and saw their faces—some of whom I knew—but I couldn’t move because there were also people on top of me. I knew I was going to die, so I just lay there, waiting. That’s the part that still gets to me.”
Naidoo said that after a while, she remembered an older man carrying kids off, and she was carried out to the roof.
“My sister, on the other hand, went over a side balcony and fell down. Thankfully, it was not very high, and she managed to get out quicker. My matric year was one of the hardest years of my life, but it taught me valuable life lessons too,” she said.
She added that a common misconception that still bothers her is that the place was a scary nightclub not fit for teenagers.
“It was actually a place for innocent fun, and what was comforting for us was that even one of our church members was a bouncer, fondly known as Beaver. We were just excited to celebrate the final day of the first term, however, we did not think that it would end up in this tragedy. This is something I will never get over in my life,” she said.
In the aftermath, a grieving community found an unlikely pillar of strength in former president Nelson Mandela. The father of the nation stepped in, not just with words of comfort, but with action. From the ashes of tragedy, he helped pave the way for the Nelson Mandela Community Youth Centre in Chatsworth, a place where young people could find hope, guidance, and opportunity.
Rajesh Lutchman, a trustee of the centre said: “We remember the untimely passing away of 13 youth from Chatsworth. Colloquially known as the Throb incident, the tragedy highlighted many critical issues that prevailed at the time. Perhaps the most important was the establishment of the Chatsworth Youth Centre, as it is now known as the Nelson Mandela Community Youth Centre. The centre provides a safe and dedicated venue for youth to congregate, socialise, enjoy sporting, creative, and educational activities. All programmes are free of charge. Today the centre remains a beacon of hope for the youth.
“The centre is used by youth and adults from Chatsworth and surrounding areas. Nelson Mandela’s vision of creating a living memorial of the youth who died in the Throb tragedy, is a reality. Despite several challenges such as vandalism, crime and funding, the centre continues to deliver on its mandate. We acknowledge the great work done by dedicated volunteers that run the different programmes at the centre. On this 25th anniversary of the tragedy we remember the lives lost and share our sympathies with the respective families.”
The tragedy of Throb nightclub was more than a moment in history—it was a wound on the heart of a community that will never be forgotten.
