9 killed, 10 wounded in South Africa pub shooting

On Sun, an attack by multiple gunmen resulted in nine fatalities and at least ten injuries at a pub in the township of Bekkersdal, South Africa, located 46 kilometers west of Johannesburg. This incident marks the second mass shooting in the region within three weeks.

The shooting occurred shortly before 1 a.m. when approximately 12 unidentified assailants in a white mini-bus and a silver sedan opened fire on patrons at KwaNoxolo tavern in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal. The suspects continued to shoot indiscriminately as they fled the scene.

Authorities have confirmed that victims were shot both inside the tavern and in the streets. Among the deceased was an e-hailing driver who was caught in the crossfire after dropping off a client.

A manhunt has been initiated by Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations, in collaboration with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit, to locate and apprehend the suspects involved in this attack.

South Africa has experienced several mass shootings at bars, often referred to as shebeens or taverns. Earlier this month, a similar incident at an unlicensed bar near the capital resulted in at least 12 deaths and 13 injuries. In 2022, a shooting in Soweto claimed 16 lives, and on the same day, four individuals were killed in another province.

In 2024, South Africa recorded nearly 26,000 homicides, averaging over 70 per day. Despite stringent gun control laws, many homicides are committed using illegal firearms, contributing to the high homicide rate in a nation of 62 million people.

Based on reporting by Africanews.