• Nine people have been killed and ten wounded in a mass shooting at a tavern in Bekkersdal, South Africa.
• The attack occurred early Sunday, with about twelve gunmen involved, using a mix of firearms.
• A manhunt has been launched for the assailants, though the motive remains unclear.

At least nine people have died and another ten injured after gunmen opened fire at the KwaNoxolo tavern in Bekkersdal, located approximately 46 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg, early Sunday morning. The shooting occurred just before 1 a.m. local time, and the assailants fled the scene in two vehicles, a white minibus and a silver sedan, according to local police reports, as cited by Indiatimes and Al Jazeera.

The police have stated that about twelve unidentified gunmen, armed with at least one AK-47 assault rifle and several handguns, opened fire on patrons inside the tavern and continued shooting outside. Preliminary reports indicated that some victims were shot randomly in the streets, with one such victim identified as a ride-hailing driver who had just dropped off a client. This brutal attack has reignited concerns about gun violence in South Africa, a country with one of the highest murder rates globally, according to BBC and South China Morning Post.

This incident marks the second mass shooting in South Africa within weeks, reflecting escalating violence in the region. Local officials have initiated a manhunt for the perpetrators, with investigators noting that some gunmen wore balaclavas during the attack. South African authorities are under pressure to address the alarming trend of gun violence, evidenced by similar past incidents where numerous lives were lost, as reported by ABC News and Los Angeles Times.

With nearly 26,000 homicides recorded in 2024, or over 70 daily, the prevalence of illegal firearms exacerbates the violence across South Africa, despite existing stringent gun laws. The Bekkersdal area, notably plagued by crime and illegal mining activities, highlights the social challenges facing the nation, according to Africanews and Le Monde.