Nine killed in ‘random’ mass shooting in South Africa

A fresh burst of violence has shaken South Africa’s crime-weary landscape, as at least nine people were killed and several others wounded when gunmen opened fire indiscriminately in the West Rand region near Johannesburg, local media reported on Sunday.

The deadly shooting unfolded at the KwaNoxolo Tavern in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal, a township on the fringes of the country’s economic heartland. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the attackers did not confine their assault to the tavern alone. Some victims were struck down at random on the surrounding streets, caught in a hail of bullets unleashed by unidentified assailants.

The attack plunged the tightly knit community into shock, adding yet another grim chapter to South Africa’s struggle with violent crime. Gauteng Acting police commissioner Fred Kekana said authorities have launched a full-scale investigation, with multiple specialised units dispatched to the scene.

“We are still in the process of obtaining statements,” Kekana told local media, confirming the arrival of national crime management teams alongside provincial crime scene specialists, serious crime investigators, crime intelligence officers and detectives from the criminal record centre.

Despite the heavy police presence, the motive behind the attack remains unclear, and no arrests have been made so far.

The West Rand shooting is the latest in a disturbing series of mass killings that have haunted South Africa in recent years, underscoring the persistent threat of gun violence in vulnerable communities. It is the second such incident reported this month alone.

Earlier, on 6 December, gunmen stormed a hostel in the capital city Pretoria, killing 12 people — among them a three-year-old child — in another indiscriminate attack. That shooting took place at a site allegedly operating as an illegal alcohol outlet, where at least three unidentified assailants reportedly opened fire on people who were drinking.

As investigators piece together the events in Bekkersdal, the latest bloodshed has once again reignited fears over public safety, leaving communities grappling with grief, unanswered questions and a growing sense of unease.

With IANS inputs