Nine dead, 10 wounded in Bekkersdal tavern attack near Johannesburg

Nine people were killed and 10 were wounded in a shooting at a tavern in Bekkersdal, a township northwest of Johannesburg, early Sunday, according to police.

The attack occurred around 1:00 a.m. local time (23:00 GMT Saturday) as about 12 unidentified gunmen arrived in two vehicles and opened fire on patrons, investigators said, then continued shooting as people fled.

Seven men and two women were killed, and two victims were shot outside the tavern as they tried to escape. A taxi driver who had dropped off a passenger nearby was among the dead. The scene was described by residents as chaotic, with witnesses helping the injured and awaiting emergency responders.

Deputy provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana said the attackers were armed with pistols and one AK-47 and that the killings were "unprovoked." He emphasized that authorities were pursuing multiple leads as the investigation proceeded.

Nokuthula Bhukwana, who went to the scene after hearing the gunfire, told Reuters that responders found many patrons lying on the floor. "When we arrived at the scene, we opened the doors and indeed scores of people were lying on the floor," she said. "We rushed around and others were calling the police, and we also called the ambulance and they arrived. We had to carry some of the injured people using wheelbarrows to the clinic."

Deputy mayor for the local municipality, Nontombi Molatlhegi, said residents were afraid to speak out or identify suspects and argued that the police were stretched thin. She called for national government intervention, including the deployment of the army to restore security in the area.

There are about three million legally held firearms in South Africa, but at least as many unlicensed weapons are in circulation, according to Gideon Joubert of the South African Gunowners’ Association. The country faces persistent violence, and the gun supply is frequently cited in debates over crime prevention and policing resources.

Earlier this month, at least 11 people—including a child—were shot dead at a hostel near Pretoria, underscoring the extent of deadly violence in parts of the country.

Campaigns and researchers have tracked a rise in mass shootings—defined as four or more people killed or injured—since 2020. Gun Free South Africa reported 80 such incidents in 2024, up from 71 the previous year, though the group noted a decline in reported mass shootings in 2025 so far. Analysts have pointed to a complex mix of factors, including social and economic stress, drug market dynamics, and access to firearms, in efforts to understand and curb the violence.

Licensed taverns and informal drinking spots known locally as shebeens have repeatedly figured among the locations where mass shootings occur, according to security researchers and local officials. Investigators in Bekkersdal said the motive for this weekend’s attack was not yet clear, and they urged anyone with information to come forward as the manhunt continues.

Updates from authorities and regional officials are expected as investigations proceed and more details become available. The attack in Bekkersdal adds to a recent pattern of deadly incidents that have prompted renewed calls for stronger policing, better border controls for firearms, and greater community engagement to prevent violence in townships near major cities.