The South African Police Service has initiated a manhunt to apprehend the suspects involved in this violent incident. This announcement underscores the urgency and seriousness with which authorities are treating the case.
Tragically, three individuals lost their lives inside the establishment, and more victims were targeted as they attempted to escape. The assailants continued their attack as they made their getaway, according to reports from the scene.
The police remain committed to bringing those responsible to justice and are actively pursuing all leads in their investigation.
South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised nation, is grappling with a high crime rate, much of it driven by organised networks and gangs.
The country is awash with legal and illegal firearms and shootings are common, often fuelled by gang rivalry and competition between informal businesses.
The tavern hit in the Pretoria attack earlier this month was an unlicensed outlet in a hostel for migrant workers at Saulsville township.
The dead included children aged three, 12 and 16.
The country was also shocked by the daylight assassination in central Johannesburg last week of a popular former radio presenter known as DJ Warras.
The 40-year-old, whose real name was Warris Stock, was gunned down on 16 December outside a building that he had visited as part of his work with a private security company.
In another high-profile killing, a witness in a corruption inquiry was shot dead in front of his family on 5 December, just weeks after testifying against a municipal police chief.
The murder of Marius Van der Merwe, 41, reignited a debate about the targeting of whistleblowers who provide information related to crime and corruption, including the public sector and cases implicating government officials.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with an average of 63 people killed each day between April and September, according to police data.
In one of the worst mass shootings in recent months, 18 relatives were shot dead at a rural homestead in the Eastern Cape province in September 2024.
The victims, who had gathered for a traditional ceremony, were aged 14 to 64 years old, and 15 were women. Several men have been arrested.
