Pretoria – A horrific mass shooting at an illegal tavern in Saulsville Hostel, Atteridgeville, claimed the lives of 11 people – including a three-year-old child, a 12-year-old and a 16-year-old – in the early hours of Friday morning, 6 December 2025.
Gauteng police confirmed that three unidentified gunmen entered the packed drinking spot shortly after 04:30 and opened fire indiscriminately on patrons. Ten people were declared dead at the scene, while another victim later died at Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital. Fourteen others sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving treatment.
“No arrests have been made and the motive for the attack is still unclear,” said Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, national police spokesperson. A 72-hour activation plan has been launched, with a multidisciplinary team leading the manhunt.
Tshwane District Commissioner Major-General Samuel Thine is on the ground coordinating the investigation. National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has been briefed.
The attack is the latest in a string of mass shootings at taverns and shebeens across South Africa.