Mass Shooting at Unlicensed Tavern Claims 11 Lives
At least eleven people have been killed and fourteen others wounded in a horrific mass shooting at a bar in South Africa. The incident, which took place in the early hours of Saturday, 6th December 2025, has sent shockwaves through the community. Police confirmed that among the dead were three children, highlighting the brutal nature of the attack.
Details of the Saulsville Township Attack
The shooting occurred at an unlicensed bar, often referred to locally as a shebeen, in the Saulsville township located west of the administrative capital, Pretoria. Local reports indicate the establishment was situated inside a hostel building. The South African Police Services (SAPS) have launched a major investigation and are actively searching for three suspects connected to the massacre.
The young victims were identified as a three-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl. Authorities have not yet released detailed information regarding the ages or conditions of the fourteen injured individuals who were rushed to hospital for treatment.
A Grim Pattern of Gun Violence in South Africa
This tragedy underscores South Africa's severe and ongoing struggle with violent crime. The nation has one of the highest homicide rates globally, recording more than 26,000 murders in 2024 alone. This equates to an average of over 70 lives lost every day. Firearms remain the leading cause of death in these homicides.
While the country of 62 million people enforces relatively strict gun ownership laws, authorities consistently point out that a significant number of killings are carried out with illegal weapons. This latest shooting is a grim addition to a series of similar attacks on bars and taverns in recent years.
In 2022, a mass shooting in Soweto, Johannesburg, left 16 people dead. More recently, in September last year, 18 people were killed in coordinated attacks at two separate houses in the Eastern Cape province. A man was charged with 18 counts of murder in that case, allegedly using an AK-style assault rifle.
The Saulsville shooting is a stark reminder of the human cost of this pervasive gun violence and the urgent challenges facing law enforcement and communities across South Africa.
