Death toll in Saulsville mass shooting rises to 12

The death toll from the Saulsville, Pretoria, mass shooting has risen to 12. On 6 December 2025, three unknown gunmen stormed an illegal tavern inside a hostel in the Atteridgeville, Pretoria township and opened fire. Twelve people, including three children, were killed while 13 others were injured and taken to Kalafong Hospital.

The attack occurred at about 4am, as the gunmen fired indiscriminately. The South African Police Service (SAPS) was only alerted at 6am.

SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe confirmed that the police have registered 12 counts of murder and 14 of attempted murder. The youngest victim was the three-year-old child of the illegal shebeen’s owner, and the other two minors were 12 and 16. Ten people died at the scene and others succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

The motive remains unclear, while authorities are searching for at least three male suspects.

Mathe said illegal shebeens pose a major challenge for the police, since most violent incidents occur in these unlicensed liquor premises, where confrontations and misunderstandings often lead to deadly fights.

“These unlicensed liquor premises are posing a challenge for us because that is where most of these incidents happen, where people are being killed. There’s confrontations, there’s misunderstandings that lead to people fighting and ultimately some losing their lives. When you look at our stats between April and September, we’ve shut down 11,975 of these unlicensed premises,” she said.

Mathe said the motive for the shooting was still under investigation.

“We are not aware yet what could have been the motive, but our detectives are on the ground. We are piecing together information. We’ve taken several statements. We are also working with the community and several witnesses to tell us what exactly happened and to give us a picture of who we might be looking for,” she said.

City intensifies efforts against illegal liquor outlets

The City of Tshwane’s mayoral committee member for community safety, Hannes Coetzee, said illegal taverns continue to create unsafe conditions in communities and are a significant driver of crime and disorder. He was at the scene on Saturday morning and in an afternoon statement expressed the City’s “deep sorrow”, offering condolences to residents, especially the families of the children who lost their lives.

“This is a painful moment for the Saulsville community and for Tshwane as a whole,” he said, adding that the City was outraged by the “senseless act of violence”.

Coetzee said Operation Shanela, which is led by the police and supported by the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD), is prioritising these types of illegal operations.

The City would continue its clampdown on illegal liquor outlets, by-law violations and other activities that place residents at risk.

“Our commitment to improving public safety remains firm. We will continue working with SAPS, community structures and all partners to strengthen law enforcement, restore order and protect the people of Tshwane.”

Coetzee added that the TMPD is helping the SAPS to investigate the motive for the attack and ensure those responsible face justice.

SA’s tavern mass shootings in 2025

In 2025, a number of mass shootings at taverns across South Africa resulted in at least 40 deaths, reflecting a disturbing escalation in violence at these community hubs. The high number of casualties, including women and children, exposed significant challenges faced by law enforcement:

• 11 January, Pienaar, Mpumalanga: Eight people killed in an Mpumalanga tavern shooting;
• 12 January: Gqeberha, Eastern Cape: Six men killed and one woman wounded;
• 19 April: Marble Hall, Limpopo: Five people shot during a live music performance at a tavern;
• 16 May: Umlazi, Durban: Eight patrons killed when gunmen open fire inside a tavern; and
• 5 October: Qedukoma Tavern, Zithobeni, Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng: Five killed and six injured by known suspects using illegal firearms.

Concerns about crime, policing effectiveness

Crezane Bosch, the DA’s Gauteng spokesperson for community safety, expressed deep concern about the Atteridgeville shooting, describing it as yet another sign of the SAPS’ ongoing struggle to effectively contain escalating crime in the region.

She said the scale and brutality of the attack exposed long-standing policing failures, highlighting systemic weaknesses in law enforcement’s approach to crime prevention and community safety.

Bosch criticised the current policing strategy as inadequate and lacking the necessary focus to effectively curb rising crime: “I do not believe that there is sufficient improvement when it comes to crime in the area. One of the greatest concerns is that they do not use data to identify where the crime hotspots are and address them. Instead, they allocate wardens without relying on data-driven evidence when making decisions to combat crime.”

She pointed out that Atteridgeville needs more resources urgently, even a second police station. She also noted that vehicles for patrols have been provided but questioned the effectiveness of some spending, such as on reward programmes that have yet to yield results.

“This exact tavern was shot at three months ago,” Bosch added, underlining how recurring violence is not being addressed adequately.

A major hurdle in solving mass shootings was residents’s fear about reporting criminals, especially when those involved were known to them.

“Communities do not trust the police. There is a big trust deficit. People are scared; even witnesses are being targeted and killed. The SAPS and the provincial Community Safety Department must work hard to rebuild trust so that people feel safe coming forward,” she said.

Lesufi condemns murders

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has condemned the murders in the province in the past 24 hours, expressing his deepest condolences to the families affected by the mass shooting.

Lesufi described the murders as heartbreaking and unacceptable acts of criminality that have no place in Gauteng.

“We are distressed by the loss of innocent lives, including young children, in this senseless act of violence. Our hearts go out to the families who are grieving today. As the Gauteng provincial government, we will not allow our communities to live in fear,” he said.

He emphasised that illegal liquor outlets often become magnets for criminal activity and pose serious risks to public safety.

“Illegal shebeens must not be allowed to operate as safe havens for criminals. We strongly condemn the lawlessness that thrives in such spaces. Working with law enforcement, we will intensify operations targeting both legal and illegal alcohol establishments to ensure full compliance with the law.”

Law enforcement authorities, supported by specialised units, were following strong leads and working around the clock to track down the suspects. DM