Nine Killed, 10 Injured in Mass Shooting Near Johannesburg

Mangalore Today News Network

Johannesburg, Dec 21, 2025: At least nine people were killed and 10 others injured in a mass shooting at a licensed tavern in Bekkersdal township, near Johannesburg, in the early hours of Sunday.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), around 12 unidentified suspects arrived in a white kombi and a silver sedan and opened fire on patrons at the tavern in the Tambo section shortly before 1 a.m. Eyewitnesses said the assailants continued firing indiscriminately as they fled the scene.

In a post on X, SAPS said Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations, along with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit, have launched a manhunt for the suspects.

The incident comes weeks after another mass shooting in Pretoria’s Saulsville township, where 12 people, including three children, were killed at a bar inside a hostel.

Police data shows that South Africa records an average of over 60 killings a day, with the country reporting more than 26,000 murders in 2024, one of the highest homicide rates globally.