Pretoria, South Africa – December 13, 2025 (Clarion Newschannel) – A devastating mass shooting at an unlicensed tavern, known locally as a shebeen, in the Saulsville township west of Pretoria has claimed the lives of 12 people, including three children aged 3, 12, and 16, while injuring 13 others. The attack, carried out by three unidentified gunmen, has shocked the nation and highlighted the growing dangers associated with illegal liquor outlets amid South Africa’s persistent violent crime crisis.
The incident occurred in the early hours of December 6, around 4:30 a.m., inside a bar operating illegally within a hostel in Saulsville, part of the Atteridgeville area. According to South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the suspects entered the premises and opened fire indiscriminately on a group of patrons who were drinking, shooting a total of 25 people. Ten victims were pronounced dead at the scene, with the death toll rising to 12 as two more succumbed to their injuries in hospital. The injured, including some in critical condition, were rushed to nearby facilities such as Kalafong Hospital.
Among the deceased children were a 3-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the violence that caught innocent bystanders, including minors, in the crossfire. Police have launched an intensive manhunt for the three male suspects, with no arrests reported yet. The motive remains unknown, though such incidents are often linked to disputes, gang-related activity, or alcohol-fueled confrontations in unregulated venues.
Brigadier Mathe described illegal shebeens as a “serious challenge” for law enforcement, noting that many mass shootings occur at these unlicensed premises where fights can quickly escalate into deadly violence. In a recent crackdown from April to September 2025, police shut down over 11,000 illegal taverns nationwide and arrested more than 18,000 individuals involved in illicit liquor sales.
This tragedy adds to a disturbing pattern of tavern-related mass shootings in South Africa in recent years, including the 2022 Soweto attack that killed 16 people and another that claimed four lives on the same day in a different province. The country continues to grapple with one of the world’s highest homicide rates, recording over 26,000 murders in 2024 alone—an average of more than 70 per day.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi condemned the “heartbreaking and unacceptable” brutality, pledging support for affected families and vowing that such acts have no place in the province. National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Fannie Masemola visited the site, reinforcing commitments to intensified policing and community safety efforts.
As investigations continue, authorities urge the public to provide any information that could lead to the perpetrators’ capture.
Clarion Newschannel extends condolences to the victims’ families and will provide updates as more details emerge.
Horror in Saulsville: Gunmen Storm Illegal Tavern, Killing 12 Including Three Children in Brutal Mass Shooting
