Jeffsville residents call for police visibility after deadly shooting

Barrier tape and gun cartridges.

Residents of Jeffsville informal settlement in Atteridgeville west of Pretoria are calling for more police visibility in the area following the fatal shooting of five men on Wednesday. The deceased were sitting outside a tuck shop when gunmen opened fire on them.

DEVELOPING | Five men have been shot and killed outside a tuck shop in Jeffsville, Atteridgeville. Tshwane District Commissioner Major General Samuel Thine says three bodies have been identified, and they are foreign nationals. pic.twitter.com/7AlifQ1as1

— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 21, 2026

Police suspect the motive for the attack could be related to extortion. In December (2025) 12 people were shot and killed at a nearby hostel shebeen in what is believed to be an ongoing rift between rival gangs extorting money from local businesses including spaza shops.

A business operator that prefers anonymity for safety reasons says crime especially murder, rape and robberies have become the norm in Jeffsville.

“Crime is very high in our area and it’s uncontrolled. People are being killed often, women and children are being raped. Businesses and innocent people are being targeted especially at night by criminals. We are tired and don’t know where we can go to get help.”

Police say three of the five men killed outside a local tuck shop in Jeffsville, Atteridgeville, in Pretoria are foreign nationals. The other two have not been identified. The motive for the murders is not yet known. pic.twitter.com/j6yXTPZh7V

— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 21, 2026