At least 11 people, including a three-year-old child, were killed in an attack on a hotel in the Saulsville neighborhood, west of the capital, Pretoria, early Saturday. Fourteen others were injured after gunmen stormed the venue where a group of people were drinking.
According to police spokeswoman Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, at least three gunmen opened fire on the crowd. The motive for the attack remains unknown and no arrests have been made so far.
According to authorities, the attackers entered the bar at around 04:30 a.m. local time and opened fire on a group of men who were drinking. Among the victims were a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. “I can confirm that a total of 25 people were shot,” Mathe said.
South Africa remains one of the countries with the highest murder rates in the world — about 45 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, according to UN data for 2023–24. According to police statistics, about 63 people were killed every day between April and September, underscoring the deep security crisis the country is going through.
