JOHANNESBURG and LONDON – At least nine people were killed early Sunday when a group of assailants opened fire with pistols and an assault rifle at a South African tavern, local police officials said.
A group of up to a dozen attackers arrived shortly before 1 a.m. at the KWA Noxolo tavern in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, said Brenda Muridili, a spokeswoman for the South African Police Service. They exited two vehicles, a white van and a silver sedan, then stormed the bar and opened fire on patrons inside, police said in a statement.
Residents watch as South African Police Service officers gather at the scene of an attack at a tavern in Bekkersdal on December 21, 2025.
Emmanuel Croset/AFP via Getty Images
Police said it was not immediately clear from witness accounts how many attackers had arrived at the bar, but added that witnesses had counted “around 12” suspects, who were said to be carrying at least nine handguns and an AK-47-style assault rifle. All of the alleged shooters were thought to be men, police said.
Three people were shot dead inside the tavern, Gauteng provincial police commissioner Fred Kekana told reporters on Sunday.
South African Police Service officers watch as members of the SAPS Forensic Pathology Services work at the scene of an attack at a tavern in Bekkersdal on December 21, 2025.
Emmanuel Croset/AFP via Getty Images
The attackers continued shooting outside the tavern and shot dead six more people, including a passing driver, Kekana said. At least 10 other people were injured, he said.
Authorities said a possible motive for the attack was not yet known. The attackers are said to have searched the bodies of the dead and injured, from whom valuables including mobile phones were allegedly stolen, police said, citing eyewitnesses.
South African Police Service officers are at the scene of an attack at a tavern in Bekkersdal on December 21, 2025. Nine people were killed when gunmen opened fire at a bar on the outskirts of Johannesburg in the early hours of December 21, 2025.
Emmanuel Croset/AFP via Getty Images
The tavern operated as a shebeen, a type of licensed casual bar that is popular in townships. Bekkersdal is located about 40 kilometers west of Johannesburg, in the West Rand area of Gauteng, which was historically dotted with small towns that supported local mining operations.
