Eleven killed as mass shootings continue to rock Gauteng

At least 11 people were killed on Saturday, including a three-year-old boy, after gunshots were fired at an illegal bar in Pretoria, police said, adding that a manhunt was launched for three suspects who were not identified.

Another 14 people were wounded during the incident in the Saulsville township, they said in a statement.

Police didn’t say whether the shooting occurred inside or outside the illegal bar, known locally as a ‘shebeen.’

“Three minors are among those deceased, which include 3- and 12-year-old boys (and a) 16-year-old female,” the South African Police Service said.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, averaging about 60 a day.

This follows two mass shootings in October, which left eight dead and another 12 injured.

The first incident took place in Zithobeni, Bronkhorstspruit, in which five people were killed, and another six were injured.

In this case, two men allegedly walked into a tavern demanding a licensed firearm from one of the patrons. Witnesses said a shot went off, after which the perpetrators fired randomly into the crowd.

The person carrying the licensed firearm that the shooters were after was shot, and his firearm was taken. He survived and has been charged with the negligent handling of his weapon.

Since the incident, five counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder have been registered by the Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit.

The second incident involved seven teenagers aged between 14 and 19 being shot at in Westbury, Gauteng, in what was believed to be a gang-related incident.

The seven victims were rushed to hospital, where two were declared dead on arrival, while five are receiving medical treatment.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) stated that the teenagers were approached on foot by four suspects, three of whom were armed with sidearms.

“The suspects opened fire on the victims without saying anything and then fled the scene.”

While briefing the media on Gauteng’s fourth-quarter crime statistics for the 2024/25 year in June, provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni stated that murders in the province had decreased by 10.8%.

However, he said Gauteng still faced “a challenge with multiple shootings,” adding that most murders in the province were committed in public spaces.

“These multiple murders have contributed 75 dockets with 191 victims to the province’s murder rate,” he said.

Reporting with Reuters