Nine Killed in Tavern Shooting Spree Near Johannesburg

Bekkersdal, South Africa — A weekend of revelry turned deadly early Sunday morning when a group of armed individuals opened fire on patrons at a local pub, leaving nine dead and at least ten others injured. The horrific event marks the second mass shooting in South Africa within a three-week span, intensifying concerns about rising violence.

The assault unfolded at the KwaNoxolo tavern, situated in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal, a township located approximately 46 kilometers (28 miles) west of Johannesburg. Law enforcement officials report that around 1 a.m., approximately a dozen assailants, traveling in a white minibus and a silver sedan, unleashed a barrage of gunfire upon the tavern's occupants. As they fled the scene, the suspects continued to fire indiscriminately, further endangering lives.

According to Maj. Gen. Fred Kekana, the acting provincial commissioner of Gauteng, some of the shooters wore balaclavas and wielded an AK-47 rifle along with multiple 9-millimeter handguns.

Police have confirmed that an e-hailing driver, who had just completed a passenger drop-off, was among those killed in the crossfire, according to police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili. The identities of the other victims have not yet been released.

The motive behind the attack remains unknown, and a comprehensive manhunt is underway. The Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations unit, in collaboration with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit, is actively pursuing the suspects involved in this deadly episode.

This incident echoes a disturbing trend of mass shootings at South African bars, often referred to as shebeens or taverns. In a similar event earlier this month, multiple individuals launched an attack on an unlicensed establishment near the capital, resulting in at least a dozen fatalities and numerous injuries. Back in 2022, a shooting in Soweto, another Johannesburg township, claimed the lives of 16 people, and on the same day, a separate bar shooting in another province led to four additional deaths.

In response to the recent surge in violence, the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's second-largest political party, has urged the formation of a specialized task force to investigate the two recent mass shootings in the Gauteng province.

The Bekkersdal area, surrounded by abandoned mines, faces significant socio-economic challenges, including illegal mining activities, gang-related conflicts, and the proliferation of illegal weapons.

South Africa grapples with an alarmingly high homicide rate, with nearly 26,000 murders recorded in 2024, averaging over 70 deaths daily. Firearms are the primary instrument in these killings. Despite the nation's relatively strict gun control measures, authorities acknowledge that many homicides are committed using illegally obtained firearms.