Eleven arrested following Bekkersdal tavern massacre

Johannesburg
Nokukhanya Mntambo

Nokukhanya Mntambo

24 December 2025 | 12:33

The arrests follow a horrific scene on Sunday, where nine people were brutally gunned down.

Eleven arrested following Bekkersdal tavern massacre

South African Police Service (SAPS) officers watch as SAPS Forensic Pathology Services members work at the scene of an attack at a tavern in Bekkersdal on December 21, 2025. Picture: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP.

Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the mass killings in Bekkersdal, an incident that has left the West Rand community deeply shaken.

The arrests follow a horrific scene on Sunday, where nine people were brutally gunned down. According to reports, unknown assailants opened fire randomly inside the Kwanoxolo Tavern and continued the shooting spree into the surrounding streets.

While the motive for the shooting remains unknown, Gauteng police confirmed that the latest arrests took place at a residence believed to be harbouring illegal miners.

Acting Provincial Police Commissioner Fred Kekana provided an update at the Westonaria Police Station earlier on Wednesday, noting that the operation yielded significant evidence.


He says the suspects were found with multiple firearms.

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Bekkersdal tavern owner arrested following mass shooting

Manhunt underway after nine killed in Bekkersdal tavern shooting

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