In the early hours of Sunday, 21 December, a group of armed men attacked KwaNoxolo tavern in Bekkersdal, 46 km west of Johannesburg, killing nine people and injuring at least ten others. Around 12 gunmen in a white minibus and a silver sedan opened fire on patrons and continued shooting randomly as they fled. Some victims were shot in nearby streets, including an e-hailing driver who had just dropped off a client.
Authorities said the attackers carried an AK-47 and several 9mm pistols, with some wearing balaclavas. The motive remains unknown, and a manhunt is underway by Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations in collaboration with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit.
This is the second mass shooting in South Africa within three weeks. Bekkersdal, surrounded by abandoned mine shafts, has a history of illicit mining, gang violence, and illegal firearms proliferation. South Africa recorded nearly 26,000 homicides in 2024, with firearms the leading cause of murder despite strict gun control laws.
