Two Suspects Identified in Bekkersdal Tavern Mass Shooting, Says Acting Gauteng Police Commissioner

• The South African Police Service in Gauteng has identified two suspects in the Bekkersdal tavern mass shooting
• This comes after a mass shooting claimed 10 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

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.

BEKKERSDAL, GAUTENG - Acting Gauteng Police Commissioner Fred Kekana confirmed that authorities have identified two individuals as possible suspects in the mass shooting at a Bekkersdal tavern on Sunday morning, 21 December 2025.

Two suspects identified in tavern shooting

Kekana stated that eyewitnesses reported the suspects were speaking Southern Sotho, suggesting that they could possibly be nationals of Lesotho. The deadly shooting at a local tavern left nine people dead and 10 others wounded. It is also reported that another victim died in the hospital, bringing the death toll to 10.

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Police said that the violence broke out on Sunday, 21 December, at the KwaNoxolo Tavern. Assailants allegedly opened fire before fleeing. Residents of Bekkersdal have urged Gauteng Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner Major General Fred Kekana to take further action beyond deploying additional patrols. They are calling for the involvement of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), alleging that some local officers may be collaborating with criminal elements in the area.

Other stories about the Bekkersdal shooting

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.

Community members suspect that the attack could be connected to illegal mining groups, commonly referred to as zama zamas, who are reportedly engaged in violent turf disputes. One resident claimed that at least three other taverns in the area have been targeted in recent weeks, but these incidents allegedly received little attention beyond the local community.

Concerns about the impact of unregulated alcohol outlets on violent crime have intensified in the wake of the incident. Criminology expert Professor Nirmala Gopal noted that such attacks underscore how illegal and poorly monitored taverns are increasingly serving as flashpoints for extreme violence nationwide. She emphasised that authorities can no longer overlook the threats these establishments pose to communities already at risk.

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Bekkersdal residents living in fear after fatal shooting

In a related article, Briefly News reported that residents of Bekkersdal in Gauteng have expressed fear for their safety following a mass shooting at a local tavern on 21 December 2025.

The attack left nine dead and ten others critically injured, prompting widespread concern among community members about escalating violence in the area.

Source: Briefly News