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11 Killed in Mass Shooting at Illegal Tavern Near Pretoria

Published 6 December 2025

Eleven people, including a three-year-old child, were killed and at least 14 others injured in a mass shooting at an illegal tavern in the Saulsville area of Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, early Saturday morning. Police confirmed the attack occurred around 4:15 a.m., when three gunmen entered the premises and opened fire indiscriminately on a group of patrons who were drinking.

South African Police Service national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe provided details during an update from the scene. "I can confirm that a total of 25 people were shot," she said. Of those, 10 died at the location and one succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Among the deceased were a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, in addition to the toddler and eight adults. Emergency services responded promptly after police were alerted around 6 a.m., transporting the wounded to nearby hospitals. District Commissioner Major General Thine oversaw operations at the site, where forensic and ballistic experts were deployed to gather evidence.

The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and no arrests have been made as investigators from the Serious and Violent Crime Unit continue their work. Mathe...

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