A tragic mass shooting at a licensed tavern in Bekkersdal, a township located in a gold-mining area near Johannesburg, has left nine people dead and another ten injured. The incident occurred around 01:00 local time on Sunday (23:00 GMT Saturday) when approximately twelve unidentified gunmen arrived in two vehicles and opened fire on patrons.

Police reported that the assailants "continued to shoot randomly as [people] fled the scene." Seven men and two women were among the fatalities. Deputy provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana, speaking at the scene to Newzroom Afrika, described the perpetrators as "unprovoked." He stated that the gunmen were armed with pistols and one AK-47, and "The poor patrons were just enjoying themselves when people came and shot."

Further details from Maj-Gen Kekana revealed that some victims were targeted even as they attempted to escape; two were shot outside the tavern. Tragically, a taxi driver who had just dropped off a passenger nearby also became a victim of the indiscriminate violence. The motive behind this particular killing remains unclear, and a comprehensive manhunt is currently underway to apprehend the suspects.

This incident adds to South Africa's concerning statistics regarding violent crime. The nation grapples with one of the world's highest murder rates, with an average of sixty-three people killed daily between April and September of the current year, according to police figures. Murders in the country are frequently attributed to arguments, robberies, and gang violence. The recent Bekkersdal shooting echoes another grim event earlier this month, where at least eleven people, including a child, were shot dead at a hostel near Pretoria, highlighting a disturbing pattern of mass violence.