A major manhunt is underway in South Africa after at least nine people were killed and ten others injured in a mass shooting at a tavern in the Bekkersdal township, southwest of Johannesburg, police confirmed on Sunday.

The attack occurred just before 1:00 a.m. local time at the KwaNoxolo Tavern in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal, when a group of about 12 unidentified gunmen arrived in two vehicles — a white kombi and a silver sedan — and opened fire on patrons inside the licensed establishment.

According to Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana, the assailants continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, striking people both inside the tavern and on nearby streets. Among the dead was an e-hailing taxi driver who had just dropped off a client in the area.

The nine victims — including two women and seven men — were either inside the tavern or struck while trying to escape, police reported. The ten injured individuals were quickly transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

Police say preliminary investigations indicate that nine of the suspects were armed with pistols and one with an AK-47 rifle, but no arrests have yet been made. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and authorities are appealing to the public for any information that could assist in locating the suspects.

Gauteng’s Serious and Violent Crime Investigations Unit, along with forensic and crime intelligence teams, has been deployed to support the ongoing investigation. Police are also urging residents to report tips through Crime Stop or the MySAPS App.

Bekkersdal, a township marked by high unemployment and poverty, forms part of the Rand West City municipality and has experienced escalating violence and crime — a microcosm of the broader public safety challenges facing South Africa.

The latest shooting is the second mass shooting in Gauteng this month, following a December 6 attack in the Saulsville hostel near Pretoria that left 12 people, including a three-year-old child, dead. Authorities are investigating whether there are links between recent episodes of violence at public venues.

South Africa continues to grapple with one of the highest murder rates in the world, driven in part by widespread illegal firearms and entrenched criminal networks. Experts say incidents such as the Bekkersdal tavern shooting underscore the urgent need for strengthened policing and community safety measures. (ILKHA)