South Africa Horror: Gunmen Kill 11 in Pretoria Hostel Shebeen Attack

South Africa Horror: Gunmen Kill 11 in Pretoria Hostel Shebeen Attack

Eleven people, including a three-year-old child, have been killed after gunmen stormed a hostel in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital, in what authorities described as a deadly attack linked to an illegal shebeen operating within the premises. The assault is the latest in a series of mass shootings that continue to shock the crime-ridden nation of 63 million people.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe confirmed that 25 people were shot, with 14 victims hospitalised. Ten persons died at the scene in Saulsville township, about 18 kilometres west of Pretoria, while another victim later died in hospital. Among the dead were a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl.

According to police, three gunmen entered the unlicensed drinking venue at around 4:30 am and opened fire indiscriminately on patrons who were drinking at the time. The motive remains unknown, and no arrests have been made as a manhunt continues.

Mathe highlighted that illegal and unlicensed liquor outlets remain hotspots for the majority of South Africa’s mass shootings, adding that “innocent people also get caught up in the crossfire.”

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South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised nation, is grappling with entrenched crime, widespread corruption, and a surge in violent attacks often fuelled by gang violence and alcohol abuse. The country has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with police reporting 63 killings per day between April and September.

While many South Africans legally own firearms for protection, a vast number of illegal guns circulate nationwide, contributing to frequent violent outbreaks.

Recent incidents underscore the worsening violence:

• In October, two teenagers were killed and five others injured in a gang-related shooting in Johannesburg.
• In May, eight patrons were gunned down at a tavern in Durban.
• Last year, 18 members of the same family were shot dead at a rural home in Eastern Cape Province.

Authorities say the latest Pretoria mass shooting further highlights the urgent need to tackle illegal firearms, unlicensed alcohol outlets, and the growing influence of organised crime networks across South Africa.

South Africa Horror: Gunmen Kill 11 in Pretoria Hostel Shebeen Attack