A tragic mass shooting in Saulsville, a township west of Pretoria, South Africa, has left 11 people dead, including a three-year-old child, a 12-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl, with 14 others injured.
The attack happened around 4:30 a.m. local time when three unidentified gunmen stormed an illegal shebeen, a type of unlicensed tavern, and opened fire on a group of people drinking there.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed a total of 25 people were shot and described the venue as an “illegal shebeen,” highlighting the challenges posed by such unlicensed liquor outlets, which are often linked to violent incidents.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and no arrests have been made yet.
Authorities have launched a manhunt for the suspects.
This incident adds to South Africa’s grim statistics, with one of the world’s highest murder rates — 45 per 100,000 people — and an average of 63 people killed daily between April and September 2025.