At least 11 killed in mass shooting in South Africa

A mass shooting at a hotel in South Africa left at least 11 people dead.

Earlier on Saturday, gunmen attacked the venue in the town of Solsville, west of the capital Pretoria, injuring 14 people. Among the dead was a three-year-old child.

“At least three unknown gunmen entered the hotel where a group of people were drinking and they started shooting randomly,” police spokesperson Brigadier Atlunda Matt said.

The motive for the shooting is unclear and no arrests have been made. It was the latest in a series of mass shootings that have rocked the crime-ridden nation in recent years.

The gunman reportedly entered the venue at 04:30 local time (14:30 GMT) and opened fire on a group of men who were drinking. Those killed in the attack included a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl.

“I can confirm that a total of 25 people were shot,” Matt said.

She described the hotel as an “illegal shebeen”, adding: “We have serious challenges with these illegal and unlicensed alcohol establishments” where she said most mass shootings have occurred.

“Innocent people can also be caught in the crossfire,” she told public broadcaster SABC.

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with 45 murders per 100,000 people, according to 2023-24 data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

According to police data, about 63 people were killed every day between April and September.