CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A horrific mass shooting unfolded in the early hours of Saturday at an unlicensed tavern near Pretoria, leaving at least 12 people dead, including three children, and wounding 13 others. The attack has cast a renewed spotlight on South Africa’s severe crisis of gun violence and illegal firearms.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the incident occurred around 4:15 a.m. inside a hostel-based bar in the Saulsville township, located west of the nation’s administrative capital. Three unidentified gunmen entered the establishment, which was occupied by a group of patrons, and opened fire indiscriminately. Ten victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries after being transported to a medical facility.
The victims included a 3-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl. Police authorities confirmed they are actively pursuing three male suspects, though the precise motive for the brutal killings remains undetermined. A significant delay was reported between the time of the shooting and the police alert, which only came nearly two hours later at 6 a.m.
This tragedy underscores a devastating pattern of mass shootings in South Africa, particularly targeting unlicensed bars, known locally as shebeens. Brig. Mathe emphasized that such violence at illegal drinking establishments represents a serious and growing challenge for law enforcement. Official data reveals that between April and September this year, police have shuttered over 11,000 illegal taverns and arrested more than 18,000 individuals linked to illicit liquor trading.
The nation continues to grapple with one of the world’s highest homicide rates, recording over 26,000 murders in 2024—averaging more than 70 per day. Firearms are the predominant weapon used in these killings. Despite the country’s relatively stringent gun control laws, authorities acknowledge that a vast number of homicides are committed with illegal weapons. This incident echoes previous mass shootings, including a 2022 attack at a Soweto tavern that killed 16 people, highlighting a persistent and deeply entrenched public safety emergency.