South African authorities have apprehended eleven individuals linked to a violent incident at a tavern near Johannesburg, where nine people lost their lives on Sunday.
Details of the Arrests
Police Major General Fred Kekana, the provincial deputy commissioner, revealed on Wednesday that among those detained, nine are citizens of Lesotho and one hails from Mozambique. An additional suspect, thought to be a South African mineworker, was also taken into custody.
During the operation, law enforcement officers discovered several unregistered firearms in the suspects' possession, including an AK-47 rifle.
Context of the Attack
The shooting took place at approximately 01:00 local time at a tavern in Bekkersdal. Initially appearing unprovoked, ongoing investigations now point to a possible connection with disputes over illegal mining territories.
"Although 2025 has seen a decline in reported mass shootings, there has been a significant increase in incidents where four or more people are either killed or injured since 2020," Claire Taylor, a researcher at campaign group Gun Free South Africa, informed the BBC.
Gideon Joubert from the South African Gunowners' Association referenced statistics indicating there are around 3 million legally owned firearms in the country, with at least an equivalent number of unlicensed weapons.
This tragic event occurred merely two weeks after another attack at the Saulsville Hostel in Pretoria, which resulted in eleven fatalities, including a young child.
