A tragic mass shooting, the second this month in South Africa, occurred when an unidentified gunman opened fire on a crowd in a residential area near gold mines, resulting in nine deaths and numerous injuries. Police have mobilized national investigation teams to track down the suspect.
The shooting took place at the "KawaMsolo" pub in the Tambo district of Bekkersdal, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg. Reports indicate that the unidentified gunmen indiscriminately fired on patrons inside the establishment as well as people outside the venue.
The police officially confirmed that nine people were killed and ten others were injured. All the wounded have been rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical treatment.
Fred Kekana, Acting Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner, stated that multiple police units—including national and provincial crime scene teams, criminal intelligence, and major investigation squads—are on site collecting evidence and conducting detailed witness interviews. However, the exact motive behind the attack remains unknown.
Bekkersdal, the site of the incident, is a poor area located near several large gold mines in South Africa. Authorities are investigating whether environmental factors or local conflicts may be connected to the shooting.
This incident is the second mass shooting in South Africa this December. Just weeks earlier, on 6 December, gunmen attacked a hostel near Pretoria, killing 12 people, including a three-year-old girl.
Currently, South Africa, with a population of over 63 million, is facing a rising crime crisis, particularly with one of the highest murder rates in the world.