A brutal shooting at a hostel on the outskirts of South Africa’s capital has left at least 11 people dead and over a dozen wounded, authorities report. Among the victims were a three-year-old child, a 12-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl.
The violence erupted in the early hours in Saulsville township, located west of Pretoria. According to a police spokesperson, armed individuals entered the premises and opened fire indiscriminately, striking 25 people. Ten victims died at the scene, with another succumbing to injuries after being transported to a hospital.
Police have launched an intensive search for three suspects connected to the massacre. Investigators are probing a potential link to an illicit bar, or shebeen, operating within the hostel. These unlicensed establishments, known for selling often substandard, homebrewed alcohol, are frequently cited as hubs for violent crime.
The spokesperson emphasized the persistent challenge illegal shebeens pose to law enforcement, noting that a significant number of homicides are reported from such locations. Forensic and ballistic teams are conducting a detailed examination of the attack site.
This incident underscores the severe and ongoing crisis of gun violence in South Africa, a nation grappling with one of the world’s highest homicide rates. Official statistics indicate a relentless toll, with dozens of lives lost to violent crime each day.