At least 12 people, among them three children aged 3, 12 and 16, were killed in a mass shooting at an unlicensed bar near South Africa’s capital on Saturday. Police say multiple attackers opened fire on a crowd drinking inside a hostel bar in Saulsville, west of Pretoria.
Fourteen others were injured and taken to hospital. Authorities have not released details about their ages or conditions.
Gunmen Storm Hostel Bar Before Dawn
The shooting happened around 4:15 a.m. inside a bar operating illegally on hostel grounds. Ten people died at the scene. An eleventh victim died in hospital.
Police spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe told national broadcaster SABC that at least three unknown gunmen “entered the hostel where a group of people were drinking and started randomly shooting.”
She said the motive remains unclear and added that police were only alerted at around 6 a.m.
Police are now searching for three male suspects.
South Africa’s Rising Gun Violence Crisis
South Africa has one of the world’s highest homicide rates, recording more than 26,000 killings in 2024 — over 70 deaths every day. Firearms are the leading cause of homicide, with many attacks linked to illegal guns despite the country’s strict firearm laws.
Mass shootings at bars, commonly known as shebeens or taverns — have become more frequent. In 2022, 16 people were killed in a tavern shooting in Soweto, while four others were murdered in a separate attack at a bar in another province on the same day.
Police say unlicensed bars are a growing hotspot for deadly crime. Between April and September this year, authorities shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns and arrested over 18,000 people linked to illegal alcohol sales.
Deadly Attacks Beyond Taverns
Mass killings in South Africa are not limited to drinking spots. Last year, 18 people — including 15 women, were shot dead at two houses on the same road in Eastern Cape province. Seven men were arrested, and police recovered three AK-style rifles believed to be used in the attack.
Authorities say Saturday’s shooting underscores a wider pattern of violent crime driven by illegal firearms, unlicensed drinking venues, and weak community safety structures.