Eyewitness Recalls Harrowing Moments of Bekkersdal Tavern Shooting That Left Nine Dead
- An eyewitness described the harrowing events of the Bekkersdal tavern mass shooting, shedding light on the terrifying moments of the West Rand tragedy
- This comes after a mass shooting claimed nine lives and left 10 others injured at a tavern in Bekkersdal on Gauteng’s West Rand
- The shooting occurred in the early hours of Sunday, 21 December 2025, at the KwaNoxolo Tavern
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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.
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Residents in Bekkersdal on Gauteng’s West Rand are reeling after a deadly shooting at a local tavern left nine people dead and 10 others wounded.
Eyewitness shares details
The violence erupted during the early hours of Sunday, 21 December, at the KwaNoxolo Tavern. An eyewitness, who took cover behind a door during the attack, said a group of about 10 suspects arrived in a white Toyota Quantum minibus and a silver sedan before opening fire on patrons inside the venue. The gunmen allegedly fired randomly as they made their escape. Gauteng police have since launched an intensive manhunt and said that investigators are pursuing multiple leads obtained from eyewitness accounts.
According to The South African, residents of the Tambo informal settlement in Bekkersdal are appealing for a stronger police presence, stating violent crime has become an ongoing concern in the area. Sandile Mahlangu, who has lived in the settlement for over 10 years, said that fear had become a daily reality for many residents. He described the area as increasingly dangerous, adding that the latest incident was not an isolated case.
Community members have called on Gauteng Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana to go beyond increasing patrols and to involve the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), alleging collusion between some officers and criminal elements in Bekkersdal.
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Police raids have done little
Residents claim firearms circulate openly in the area without consequence, arguing that police raids have done little to improve safety. In response, Kekana said specialised provincial units had been assigned to the investigation. He confirmed that the serious violent crime team, detectives and Crime Intelligence officers actively gathered statements and engaged potential informants, while the provincial tracking unit worked to trace suspects.
Kekana added that evidence recovered at the scene, including spent cartridges and fingerprints, would play a key role in identifying those responsible and determining whether the weapons used were linked to other violent crimes. Rand West Municipality’s deputy executive mayor, Nontombi Molahleki, meanwhile, raised concerns about delays in police response times, attributing them to capacity constraints at the local station.
She said the Bekkersdal police station is responsible for policing several populated areas, placing immense pressure on limited resources. Molahleki noted that residents frequently report gunfire and violent incidents, adding that the community continues to plead for intervention amid ongoing safety fears.
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.
Source: Briefly News
