Gunmen kill 12 in South Africa bar in mass shooting

By Hassan Isilow

At least 12 people were killed in South Africa when unknown gunmen shot randomly at them in an unlicensed bar in Saulsville, west of the capital Pretoria, police said.

In a short statement, police confirmed that 25 people were shot at during the attack, which happened early Saturday.

Ten people died at the scene and two others died at hospital. Over a dozen survivors are currently receiving treatment, police said.

Police added that they have launched a manhunt for three unknown gunmen who entered the bar, located in a hostel, and opened fire on a group of people who were drinking three.

According to police, victims included three children – two boys age 3 and 12 and a 16-year-old girl – while the rest of the deceased are adults.

“We are still investigating the motive, maximum resources have been deployed to find those behind this incident,” police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe told national broadcaster SABC.

Mathe said the 3-year-old was a son of the bar owner, while the 12-year-old was the owner’s younger brother.

Mass shootings have become more frequent in South Africa, a country with one of the highest crime rates in the world. Eighteen people were killed in a mass shooting in the town of Lusikisiki, in the Eastern Cape Province, in September 2024.​​​​​​​

According to local media reports this year alone, the country has seen at least four separate incidents of mass shootings at bars.