BEKKERSDAL, SOUTH AFRICA — At least nine people have been killed and 10 others wounded after a group of gunmen opened fire at a tavern and in the surrounding streets of Bekkersdal, a township west of Johannesburg.
The attack, which occurred shortly before 1:00 AM on Sunday, is the second mass shooting to rock the Gauteng province this month, further heightening fears over an escalating wave of gun violence in the country.
Details of the Attack
According to police reports, approximately 12 unidentified suspects arrived at a licensed tavern in two vehicles—a white kombi and a silver sedan. The gunmen, reportedly armed with pistols and at least one AK-47 assault rifle, opened fire on patrons inside the establishment before continuing their rampage outside.
Gauteng Acting Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana confirmed that the violence spilled over into the residential streets as the assailants fled.
“When people were running out of the tavern, they were shot. People were also shot on the streets. While the cars [of the assailants] were leaving, they shot another driver,” Kekana told SABC News.
One of the victims was confirmed to be a driver for an online car-hailing service who was parked outside the venue at the time of the shooting.
Police Response and Investigation
A massive manhunt is currently underway to track down the suspects. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed several specialized units to the scene, including:
-
National and Provincial Crime Scene Management teams
-
Serious and Violent Crime investigators
-
Crime Intelligence units
-
Forensic detectives
While the motive for the attack remains unclear, authorities are collecting witness statements and reviewing any available surveillance footage from the area. The death toll was initially reported as 10 but has since been revised to nine, with 10 survivors currently receiving treatment in local hospitals.
A Community Under Pressure
The shooting took place in Bekkersdal, a densely populated township roughly 40km (25 miles) southwest of Johannesburg. Established in 1945 to house workers for nearby gold mines, the area has long struggled with high levels of poverty, unemployment, and infrastructure neglect.
The township has a history of social unrest, notably during the violent protests leading up to the 2014 general elections, and residents have frequently called for increased police presence to combat rising gang activity and extortion syndicates.
A Growing Crisis of Gun Violence
This massacre follows a similar tragedy on December 6, where 12 people—including a three-year-old boy—were killed in a mass shooting at a hostel in Saulsville, west of Pretoria.
South Africa continues to grapple with one of the highest murder rates in the world. Recent police data paints a grim picture of the national security landscape:
-
63 people killed daily: On average, between April and September 2025.
-
Rising Mass Shootings: Over 9,000 incidents of “multiple murders” have been recorded over the last five years.
-
Illegal Firearms: Despite strict licensing laws, millions of illegal high-caliber weapons continue to circulate in Gauteng province.
The government has faced mounting pressure to address the proliferation of illegal firearms and the “lawlessness” surrounding informal and illegal liquor outlets, which authorities say are frequent targets for such attacks.
