Pretoria – The shock and sadness in Atteridgeville after the mass shooting at Saulsville Hostel shebeen remains evident after revellers were mercilessly mowed down by gunmen.
Unidentified gunmen stormed the premises around 4:15 a.m. and opened fire indiscriminately, targeting patrons who were drinking.
The wanton attack by at least three gunmen in the early hours of Saturday, 6 December 2025, left 11 dead, including three children aged three, 12, and 16 years old.
Another person succumbed to gunshot wounds in the hospital, where 13 others were fighting for their lives.
While the motive remains unknown, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said a manhunt has been launched for the three suspects.
She said police have deployed forensic, ballistic, and detective teams to probe the mass shooting at Saulsville Hostel, west of Pretoria city in Tshwane.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, underscoring ongoing concerns about gun violence and community safety.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has condemned the murders and expressed his “deepest condolences“ to the families affected by the horrific mass shooting.
Premier Lesufi has 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,” the Premier of the province said.
“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.”
Premier Lesufi noted 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.”
This shooting is part of a disturbing pattern of mass violence at shebeens and taverns in South Africa.
Recent similar incidents include:
- Eight people were killed at a bar in Durban earlier in 2025.
- 17 deaths in two rural shootings in Lusikisiki in September 2024.
- Seven men were killed in a Cape Town mass shooting in November 2025.
Commenting soon after the shootings, the City of Tshwane said it was outraged by “this senseless act of violence, which resulted in the death of a child as young as three years old”.
There can be no justification for such brutality.
“This is a painful moment for the Saulsville community and for Tshwane as a whole,” lamented the City of Tshwane MMC for Community Safety Hannes Coetzee.
“We also wish strength and a full recovery to the 14 individuals who were wounded and who are receiving medical care.
“The City stands with every affected family and resident during this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, the South African Union Council of Independent Churches (SAUCIC) said it was “horrified by the massacre”.
The Union Council of affiliated Federations of Charismatic, Evangelical Outreach Mission Ministries and Pentecostal Churches called on police not to leave any stone unturned until those responsible for the indiscriminate shooting were “unmasked and behind bars”.
SAUCIC President Cardinal Arch Bishop Dr Patrick Modiri Shole said: “We wish to condemn in the strongest terms possible the horrendous and ghastly act that has sent a shockwave across all of our communities and convey our deepest condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones in such a heartrending manner”.
Cardinal Shole urged communities to assist police in their investigation to ensure that the heartless murderers are speedily removed from society.
”While appealing for calm, fervent prayers and united action, we also call for intensified effort to rid our communities of the proliferation of guns and senseless violence claiming innocent lives,” he said.
