At least 11 people, including a 3-year-old child, a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, were killed and 14 others wounded when gunmen stormed an illegal shebeen in Saulsville township, west of Pretoria, police said Friday.
Police said at least three attackers entered the unlicensed drinking venue and opened fire on a group of people. No arrests have been made and the motive remains unknown, authorities said.
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“Illegal and unlicensed liquor outlets are a major hotspot for mass shootings,” police spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe said, describing the attack as part of a worrying pattern of violence linked to informal drinking establishments.
Emergency services took the wounded to nearby hospitals, and local police sealed off the scene as investigators collected evidence, Mathe said. Officials did not immediately identify the victims beyond their ages or release the names of the injured.
The attack adds to a string of mass shootings in South Africa, which continues to grapple with one of the world’s highest murder rates. Analysts and civil society groups have repeatedly cited the role of illegal taverns and shebeens — often operating without proper licensing, oversight or security — in driving interpersonal violence.
“These venues can be flashpoints because they attract large crowds, operate at night and often function outside regulatory frameworks,” Mathe said, urging local communities to cooperate with police and report unlawful drinking establishments.
Investigators said they were examining CCTV footage, witness accounts and ballistic evidence to determine the exact sequence of events and identify the suspects. Provincial police spokeswoman Sabine Nkosi said forensic teams had been dispatched to assist with the probe.
Community leaders in Saulsville called for calm and added pressure on authorities to speed up the investigation. A local councillor, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief the media, said neighbors were shaken and there were immediate concerns for safety during weekend and evening gatherings.
The latest shooting is likely to increase calls for a stronger clampdown on illegal liquor outlets and for more resources for policing in areas plagued by gang activity and illicit trade. Past incidents in the country have prompted debates over licensing enforcement, policing efficacy and the social drivers of violence, including poverty and unemployment.
Mathe said police are working with municipal authorities to identify and close unlawful establishments and urged anyone with information about the Saulsville attack to come forward. Authorities asked those with footage or witness information to contact the provincial crime hotline.
Further details, including the identities of the victims and any possible suspects, were expected to be released as the investigation continued.
By News-room
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
