At least 12 people were killed in a mass shooting at an unlicensed bar inside a hostel in the Saulsville township, west of Pretoria, in the early hours of Saturday, December 6, 2025.
The victims included three children aged 3, 12, and 16, while another 13 people were injured and are receiving treatment in hospital. Police did not provide details on the ages or conditions of the injured. Ten victims died at the scene, and two others later succumbed to their injuries in hospital, prompting an adjustment to the official death toll.
Authorities said they are searching for three male suspects linked to the shooting. Of the 14 wounded, eight belong to the Khanyile family, which also lost the three children. The family, originally from Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal, expressed deep fears and shock following the attack. Sabelo Khanyile said his sister, the tavern owner, was shot three times but is responding well to treatment. He added that the children who were killed were asleep when the gunmen stormed the establishment. Another family member, Sandile Khanyile, said the family is focused on supporting their hospitalized relatives and remains fearful for their safety.
Tshwane Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Safety, Hannes Coetzee, expressed sorrow and extended condolences to the bereaved families, while wishing strength and recovery to the 14 injured individuals. He condemned the act as senseless and emphasized that the loss of a young child highlights the urgent need to address violent crime and unsafe conditions in communities. Coetzee noted that preliminary reports indicate the incident occurred at an unlicensed liquor establishment, which often contributes to crime and disorder.
Gauteng Premier Lesufi described the killings as heartbreaking and unacceptable acts of criminality, stating that such violence has no place in the province. He stressed that illegal liquor outlets pose serious risks to public safety and vowed intensified enforcement against both legal and illegal alcohol establishments to prevent them from becoming havens for criminals.
The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety highlighted the broader issue of illegal firearms circulating within communities, noting that such weapons enable deadly attacks and compromise citizen safety. The committee reaffirmed its commitment to advocating for a gun-free Gauteng.
SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe reported that the shooting occurred just after 4:15 a.m. when three unknown gunmen entered the hostel and opened fire indiscriminately. Police were alerted around 6 a.m. and immediately deployed forensic and ballistics experts, with detectives and the Serious and Violent Crime Unit working to determine the motive. Between April and September 2025, police shut down 11,975 unlicensed liquor outlets nationwide and arrested more than 18,676 people for illegal liquor sales, with many such establishments linked to mass shootings and violent incidents.
