JOHANNESBURG — At least 10 people were killed and 10 others wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire in a township southwest of Johannesburg, marking the country’s second mass shooting this month.
The attack took place late Saturday in Bekkersdal, a community about 25 miles from the city, near a tavern in an impoverished area close to South Africa’s gold mines. Police said the motive was not immediately clear.
“Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen,” the police said in a statement. Brigadier Brenda Muridili, a spokesperson for Gauteng province, confirmed the death toll but said authorities were still working to identify the victims.The wounded were taken to nearby hospitals, officials said.
The shooting follows another deadly incident on 6 December ,2025.when gunmen stormed a hostel near Pretoria, killing 12 people, including a three‑year‑old child. Police later said the site had been operating as an illegal bar. On the same day, gunmen attacked an unlicensed bar in Saulsville, west of Pretoria, killing at least 12 people and injuring 13 others, among them three children aged 3, 12, and 16.
South Africa, a nation of 63 million, has long struggled with violent crime. It records one of the highest murder rates in the world, and mass shootings have become increasingly common in recent years, often linked to disputes around informal taverns or criminal networks.
Community leaders in Bekkersdal described the latest attack as “a tragedy that deepens the wounds of poverty and violence,” calling for urgent reforms to protect vulnerable neighborhoods. Families of the victims gathered outside hospitals and morgues, mourning loved ones and demanding justice. “We cannot continue to bury our people like this,” one relative said.
Civil society groups urged the government to strengthen policing in townships and to regulate informal taverns more effectively, noting that such spaces often become flashpoints for violence. Faith leaders in Johannesburg announced plans for vigils, saying the community must “stand together against the culture of violence that is tearing families apart.”
Tributes poured in across social media, with South Africans expressing solidarity and grief. Many shared messages such as, “Ten lives lost, ten futures stolen — may they rest in peace.” Others posted photographs of candles and prayers, calling for unity in the face of relentless violence.
Authorities said investigations into the Bekkersdal attack were underway, but no arrests had been announced as of Sunday.
