At Least 11 Killed in Mass Shooting at South African Hostel

PRETORIA, South Africa – At least 11 people, including a three-year-old child, were killed early Saturday when gunmen stormed a hostel in a township west of Pretoria. The attack, which left 14 others wounded, is the latest in a string of mass shootings plaguing the nation.

The violence occurred around 4:30 a.m. local time in the Saulsville township. According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, at least three unidentified gunmen entered the hostel—described by authorities as an illegal drinking establishment or "shebeen"—and opened fire on a group of people who were drinking.

"The gunmen... started randomly shooting," Mathe stated. She confirmed that a total of 25 people were shot in the attack. Among the dead are a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. The motive remains unknown, and no arrests have been made.

Mathe emphasized the dangers posed by unlicensed liquor premises, noting that "the majority of mass shootings occur" in such venues. "Innocent people also get caught up in the crossfire," she told South African broadcaster SABC.

The incident underscores South Africa's severe and persistent crisis of violent crime. The country has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, recorded at 45 per 100,000 people for the 2023-24 period. Recent police data indicates an average of 63 people were killed every day in South Africa between April and September of this year.

*Source: BBC News. This report has been synthesized from the original coverage of the Saulsville township shooting.*

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