Increasing rates of mass shooting leading to mass murder in South Africa recorded another new figure on Sunday early morning in the Bekkersdal town near the southwestern part of Johannesburg in the Gauteng province when about 12 masked unknown gunmen invaded a public drinking, accommodation and relaxation spot known as tavern, shooting into the pub and shot people as they sight them on the street while fleeing, leading to the killing of 9 persons as confirmed by the local authority, with additional 10 persons sustaining injuries, this occurred less than three weeks when gunmen stormed an illegal drinking establishment also known as shebeen at a hostel in Saulsville, west of Pretoria, wherein, 12 people were killed, including a three-year-old child, a 12-year-old boy, and a 16-year-old girl, and in 2024 alone, 26,232 murder cases representing more than 70 people killed per day in South Africa was reported by the South African Police Service, SAPS, and a non governmental organisation, the Democratic Alliance, DC had stated in its report earlier in the year that between January and March 2025, 5,727 people were murdered, representing an average of 62 people killed per day in 2025 first quarter and 6,985 attempted murders were recorded, 75 per day, 43,776 assaults with intent to cause grievous bodily harm were reported, representing 475 per day, 10,688 people were raped, 116 per day, 4,571 kidnappings occurred, 49 per day, 11,111 common robberies and 35,374 commercial crimes were reported, representing 504 per day, and as at the time of filing in this report on Monday morning, the South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa is yet to issue statement or announce policy action over the Sunday recent mass murder in the country just as residents who spoke with local media blamed the attack on illegal miners known by their group name, Zama Zamas and the residents believed the police are in cahoots with the different gangsters terrorising communities in South Africa.

Local residents who spoke with local news media said that the mass murder in Bekkersdal occurred around 1am early morning night on Sunday, December 21, with about 12 gunmen in a white van and silver sedan opened fire at the KwaNoxolo Tavern in Bekkersdal, southwest of Johannesburg.

A resident who spoke with NewzRoom Afrika television, said; “It is bad, my sister. The thing is, this has become a norm in this township. Young kids, tender kids as young as 2, 3 years old, when a gunshot sounds, they don’t flinch. They would ask you, which direction does it come from? They are used to gunshots. Little kids… Now you can imagine how much about old people.

What happened yesterday is a reflection of… I don’t know how to put it, maybe, let me put it straight, a reflection of neglect by the police. Criminals, they do as they please here. These guns, they sound each and every evening. Let me put it that way. As soon as it’s dusk, we know that gunshots are about to sound. And they will sound severely to a point whereby us ourselves would wonder, someone is shot or maybe someone has died.

It is rare that you find people die like this. But gunshots, they sound the following morning. There’s no report of someone dead. So I don’t know if this, today, it’s music, it’s something that they enjoy, but it’s terrorizing our communities. Who is terrorizing your community? People that are terrorizing our communities mainly is the Zama, Zamas and Sotho nationals, to be precise. Why am I saying that? When you talk to some of them, they will tell you that this is a rivalry thing. It’s a gang rivalry thing.

There are two gangs that are in the main that are playing a four role here and they are making sure that they send a clear message to each other, you understand? Because here there’s a gang of these people that reside here or that stays with us here and their arrival is on the other side of town. So as they come here, they are sending a message to these ones, but at the expense of our own community.

So I would like to plea with General to please take action with this. And he must be decisive with it, such that he starts from within his own house, there at the police, the police station of Pakistan, if necessary. Let it be that they reshuffle everyone if they can transfer all of them and bring new members here, because we are having a problem with them being in cahoots with criminals, you understand?

The community will tell you that police are collecting brown envelopes from these people and nothing is happening. So the crime here is dismal. It’s bad. And the leadership, let me be specific, the councillors and the ward committees here must come to play. But I think also they themselves, they are politicizing these issues. They are not. They are not, they are not up to, Up to scratch with this team”.

Among the 20 people shot, with 9 confirmed dead, police says its Investigation is ongoing from the point of view of the terrorist attack. Gauteng Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, Major-General Fred Kekana said the attackers searched people after shooting them, taking their valuables, including phones. He said three people were killed inside the bar, while others were shot as they tried to flee, with the gunmen continuing to fire as they left the scene.

Gauteng Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, Major-General Fred Kekana also told Newzroom Afrika that the perpetrators, armed with pistols and one AK-47, were ‘unprovoked’. “The poor patrons were just enjoying themselves when people came and shot”, he said.

The police commissioner said among those killed was a driver working for an online ride-hailing service, when about 12 unidentified suspects arrived at the scene in two vehicles, opened fire on patrons inside the tavern and fled. At least 10 wounded people were taken to hospital.

Osazuwa Akonedo

Osazuwa Akonedo is a Nigerian media professional, author, and consultant. His work spans various sectors of communication and literature: Journalism and Media: He is the founder of OsazuwaAkonedo, which focuses on news analysis and commentary. He also provides consultancy services in media and banking. Literature: He is a published playwright and author of Nigerian literature. One of his notable works is the drama titled The End Shall Tell: What Exam Malpractice Can Cause, which addresses educational and social issues in Nigeria. Reporting: He frequently reports on regional news, particularly concerning Edo State and broader Nigerian current affairs. Credit: Google Gemini AI Mode Osazuwa Akonedo is a Nigerian media creator, journalist, and entrepreneur who engages audiences via news reporting, social media content, music, and a mobile application. Professional Background and Company Osazuwa Akonedo is associated with OSAZUWAAKONEDO LIMITED, a company registered in Nigeria that operates in media consultancy and news services  The company is headquartered in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, and has been active in publishing news in various formats including text, audio, video, and photos  Social Media and Online Platforms Osazuwa Akonedo maintains a strong online presence on several platforms: TikTok: Shares news updates and reports, for example, covering police operations in Nigeria  YouTube: Operates a channel where he uploads videos on current affairs and news content  Twitter/X: Active under the handle @akonedo_osazuwa, posting updates on events and news  Facebook: Profiles listing his connection to news and media activities can be found on Facebook  Mobile App: Offers a dedicated mobile application for news access through Google Play (Osazuwa Akonedo News App) providing text, video, and photo news formats  News Reporting and Content He produces news content covering national and local stories, including criminal activities, government updates, and investigative reports   His reporting spans multiple formats, making it accessible to a wide audience through online platforms, mobile apps, and social media  Other Contributions In addition to journalism, Osazuwa Akonedo has also ventured into audio releases, such as “Former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami Begs Nigerians For Justice” released on January 25, 2026   He also hosts podcasts documenting significant events, e.g, NDLEA arrests related to historical criminal cases  Summary Osazuwa Akonedo is a multifaceted media professional engaged in journalism, social media content creation, music, and technology via his news app. He utilizes platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, Facebook, and mobile applications to disseminate news and reach audiences both locally and internationally Credit: Azure AI

Linkedin Tiktok Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube