Gunmen have killed nine people and wounded 10 others in a late-night attack on a licensed tavern in Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, prompting a large-scale police hunt for the suspects.
The shooting occurred just before 1am on Sunday at the KwaNoxolo tavern, where around 12 assailants arrived in a white minibus and a silver sedan. They opened fire on patrons inside before continuing to shoot randomly as they fled, police said.
Among the dead were seven men and two women, including an e-hailing driver outside the venue and two patrons shot while trying to escape. Deputy provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana described the attack as unprovoked, with assailants armed with pistols and an AK-47.
“The poor patrons were just enjoying themselves when people came and shot,” Kekana told local media at the scene.
Residents of the impoverished gold-mining area spoke of living in fear, with one telling broadcasters that gunfire had become routine after dark. “Criminals do as they please here… It is terrorising our communities,” he said.
The motive remains unclear, though such incidents are often linked to gang violence, robberies or disputes over informal businesses. Bekkersdal has long struggled with high unemployment and poverty following the decline of mining.
This is the second mass tavern shooting in South Africa this month. On 6 December, 12 people, including a child, were killed at a hostel near Pretoria.
South Africa continues to grapple with one of the world’s highest murder rates, with police recording an average of 63 killings per day between April and September this year. Experts estimate at least three million illegal firearms circulate alongside a similar number of licensed ones.
Police have appealed for witnesses and vowed to track down the perpetrators.
