Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. At least 11 people have died, and another 14 were injured in a horrific shooting at a hostel in Saulsville, Atteridgeville, Pretoria, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The incident reportedly occurred at a house being used as an informal tavern.
South African police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that 10 people died at the scene, with another person succumbing to injuries in hospital. Fourteen others are currently receiving medical treatment. She said:
“We are told it happened at around 4:15 am, but police were only alerted to it at around 6 am.
“We immediately mobilised our resources. We have forensic experts, ballistic experts, detectives and officers from the serious and violent crimes unit all on the ground.
“They are piecing together what may have led to the shooting.”
Brigadier Mathe confirmed that police have opened 11 counts of murder and 14 counts of attempted murder in connection with the incident.
She added that at least three unidentified gunmen are believed to have entered the premises and begun “randomly shooting.”
Tragically, the victims include a three-year-old child, a 12-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl.
Mass shootings have become alarmingly frequent in South Africa, resulting in thousands of deaths in recent years.
Then Police Minister Senzo Mchunu reported that over 9,000 fatalities were recorded in mass shootings between 2019 and 2023.
In 2023–2024 alone, there were 2,859 deaths, up from 2,524 the previous year, highlighting a sharp increase.
Many of these shootings are linked to turf wars, illegal mining disputes, and revenge attacks.
Drinking spots are often targeted, with multiple high-profile massacres reported in areas such as Soweto, Pietermaritzburg, and Mpumalanga.
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