Nine people have been killed and at least ten others wounded in a horrific and unprovoked mass shooting at a pub on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Chaos in the Early Hours
The attack occurred just before 1am local time outside the Kwanoxolo bar in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal, a township located roughly 28 miles from the centre of Johannesburg. According to police reports, approximately twelve unidentified suspects, travelling in a white minibus and a silver car, opened fire on patrons at the venue.
The gunmen continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, turning the surrounding streets into a killing zone. Provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana confirmed the attack was completely 'unprovoked', stating the perpetrators, armed with pistols and at least one AK-47 rifle, attacked while 'the poor patrons were just enjoying themselves'.
Victims Caught in the Crossfire
The violence claimed the lives of nine individuals. Major General Kekana provided details on some of the victims, explaining that two were shot outside the tavern as they tried to escape the barrage of bullets.
A third victim was a driver for an online car-hailing service who had dropped off a passenger nearby and found himself caught in the attack. Police confirmed that 'some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen', highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the assault. Ten survivors were taken to hospital with injuries.
A Community Living in Fear
The shooting has sent shockwaves through the Bekkersdal community, where one resident told local media that the sound of gunfire has become a grim nightly normality. 'Criminals, they do as they please here,' the unnamed man said. 'These guns, they sound each and every evening... It is terrorising our communities.'
A major manhunt has been launched by the Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations unit, working with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit to find the suspects.
A Recurring National Tragedy
This incident marks the second mass shooting in South Africa in just three weeks, underscoring a severe national crisis of gun violence. The country has witnessed several similar attacks at bars and taverns, known locally as shebeens, in recent years:
- Earlier this month, at least 12 people were killed and 13 injured at an unlicensed bar near Pretoria.
- In 2022, a shooting in Soweto, Johannesburg, left 16 people dead.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, with nearly 26,000 recorded in 2024 alone—an average of over 70 per day. Firearms remain the leading cause of death in these killings. Despite the nation of 62 million having relatively stringent gun control laws, officials acknowledge that a vast number of murders are committed with illegal weapons.
