A mass shooting at an unlicensed bar in Saulsville, near Pretoria, over the week-end left 12 people dead, including children aged 3, 12, and 16. Another 13 people were injured. Police say at least three gunmen entered the bar and opened fire. The motive remains unknown, and the suspects are still at large.
The attack underscores South Africa’s ongoing battle with gun violence, with over 26,000 homicides recorded in 2024. Authorities have reported an increase in shootings at unlicensed bars, having shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year. Other recent mass killings include the September 2024 shootings in Eastern Cape that left 18 people dead, most of them women.
