Eleven suspects arrested over deadly South African tavern shooting

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al JazeeraDecember 25, 2025 at 08:37 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

South African police arrested eleven suspects on Wednesday in connection with a tavern shooting in Bekkersdal on Sunday that killed ten people and wounded ten others. The suspects, including nine Lesotho citizens and one Mozambican, were apprehended after a raid on two houses outside Johannesburg. Authorities discovered unlicensed firearms, including four handguns and an AK-47 rifle, in their possession. Police are testing cartridges and ammunition found at the scene to determine if they match the seized weapons. Additionally, a South African mine employee was arrested for allegedly harboring undocumented tenants and obstructing justice, while the tavern owner faces charges of fraud and operating an illegal liquor outlet. The area west of Johannesburg is known for illicit mining, gang violence, and illegal firearms.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Gauteng 40% Mozambique 40% Fred Kekana 50% Lesotho 50% Nonesi Matwa ×260% Johannesburg ×260% Bekkersdal ×370% South African Police Service ×370% South Africa ×490%

Keywords

tavern shooting 100% unlicensed firearms 80% south africa 70% illegal mining 60% undocumented miners 50% gang violence 50% ak-47 rifle 40% bekkersdal 40%