A mass shooting at an unlicensed bar near Pretoria, South Africa, left 12 people dead early Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, including three children, as authorities launched a manhunt for three male suspects who opened fire on patrons.
The attack occurred around 4:15 a.m. at a bar inside a hostel in Saulsville township, located approximately 18 kilometers west of South Africa’s administrative capital. Police were not alerted to the shooting until approximately 6 a.m., nearly two hours after the violence erupted.
Among the victims were a three-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl. Ten people died at the scene, while two additional victims succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. At least 13 people were wounded and transported for medical treatment, though authorities have not released details about their ages or current conditions.
“We are told that at least three unknown gunmen entered this hostel where a group of people were drinking and they started randomly shooting,” South African Police Service spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe told national broadcaster SABC.
The motive for the killings remains unclear, and police have launched an investigation into what authorities described as an illegal shebeen, a term used locally for unlicensed drinking establishments. The bar was operating inside a hostel facility when the gunmen entered and began firing indiscriminately at the group of patrons.
The shooting adds to South Africa’s troubling record of gun violence and highlights ongoing concerns about safety at unlicensed bars throughout the country. The nation has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with approximately 63 people killed daily between April and September, according to police data.
Firearms represent the leading cause of death in homicides across South Africa. While the country maintains relatively strict gun ownership laws, authorities say many killings are committed with illegal weapons that circulate widely throughout communities.
Mathe emphasized that mass shootings at unlicensed bars have become a serious problem for law enforcement. Shutdowns of illegal establishments occurred between April and September 2025 as part of a crackdown on unregulated locations.
The Saulsville shooting is the latest in a series of mass violence incidents at South African bars in recent years. In 2022, 16 people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar in Soweto. More recently, gunmen killed eight customers at a tavern in Durban in May.
Mass killings in South Africa have not been confined to bars, however. In September 2024, 18 people were shot dead in Eastern Cape province.
The country recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024. The statistics reflect deep-rooted challenges that continue to plague communities across the nation.
As the investigation continues, authorities are appealing for information about the three male suspects who fled the scene. The manhunt remains active as police work to determine what prompted the attack and whether it was connected to gang activity or other criminal networks.
The presence of three minors, including a young child, among the dead has intensified public outrage over the violence. The three-year-old victim represents one of the youngest casualties in South Africa’s recent wave of mass shootings, raising questions about why children were present at a bar during early morning hours and the broader safety concerns facing communities.
Police have not released the identities of any victims or provided additional details about the wounded individuals receiving hospital treatment. The investigation continues as authorities process the crime scene and interview witnesses who were present during the attack.
