Manhunt Underway After Deadly Tavern Shooting on the West Rand
- Nine people were killed and ten others seriously injured in a mass shooting at a tavern in Bekkersdal on the West Rand
- Police spokesperson Capt Tintswalo Sibeko said the shooting took place at KwaNoxolo Tavern in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal
- According to police, about 12 unknown suspects arrived at the tavern in a white kombi and a silver sedan and opened fire on patrons
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
A manhunt is underway following a mass shooting at a Bekkersdal tavern on the West Rand that claimed nine lives and left 10 others injured early on Sunday, 21 December 2025.
9 Killed in mass shooting
Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said the shooting occurred at KwaNoxolo Tavern in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal shortly before 1 am on Sunday, 21 December 2025. She said Gauteng’s serious and violent crime investigators, together with the crime detection tracing unit, have launched a manhunt for the suspects involved in the deadly attack. According to police, about 12 unknown gunmen arrived at the licensed tavern in a white kombi and a silver sedan before opening fire on patrons inside. The suspects allegedly continued shooting indiscriminately as they fled the scene.
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Some victims were also shot in the street while attempting to escape. Emergency services responded swiftly, and the injured were transported to nearby medical facilities. Sibeko said police have deployed extensive resources, including forensic crime scene management and crime intelligence teams, to investigate the incident. She added that the motive for the shooting has not yet been established and that no suspects have been identified at this stage. Investigations are ongoing, and police have appealed to the public to come forward with any information that could assist in tracing those responsible. The Bekkersdal attack marks the second mass killing reported this month. On December 6, gunmen opened fire at an illegal shebeen at a hostel in Saulsville, Pretoria, killing 12 people, including a three-year-old child.
Source: Getty Images
Other mass shootings in SA
The South African Police Service (SAPS) have identified the suspects behind the deadly mass shooting in Saulsville near Atteridgeville in the City of Tshwane. A total of 12 people were killed in the mass shooting, which happened at an illegal tavern inside a hostel on 6 December 2025. 13 people were injured and rushed to the hospital after three armed men stormed the illegal tavern at approximately 4 am and opened fire indiscriminately.
Five people have been shot and killed in a tavern shooting in Zithobeni, Bronkhorstspruit. Six others sustained injuries. Gunmen allegedly opened fire at the tavern in Dunusa, Extension 10, in the early hours of Sunday morning, 5 October 2025. Police have opened an investigation into the incident for murder, attempted murder, and robbery.
Two teenagers killed in mass shooting in Westbury
Briefly News reported that two teenagers were killed following a mass shooting in Westbury, Johannesburg. The youngsters were among a group that was targeted in the shooting in the area on 21 October 2025.
Five others were injured in the shooting, with one of the victims said to be in critical condition in the hospital.
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Source: Briefly News
