Mass deaths in South African tavern probed

"We are going to immediately be embarking on autopsies so we can know the probable cause of death," he told Reuters as forensic personnel continued their work at the cordoned-off crime site at Enyobeni Tavern.

"We are talking 22 bodies right now," Manana added.

Earlier Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana said police were alerted by members of the public to the incident at Scenery Park, about three kilometres from the city centre.

"The circumstances under which they died are under investigation," Kinana told Reuters, adding it was too early to determine the cause of death of the young adults aged between 18 and 20 years.