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The Bekkersdal mass shooting crime scene, 21 December 2025.
The Deputy Executive Mayor of Rand West Municipality, Nontombi Molatlhegi, says eyewitnesses to the Bekkersdal mass shooting have alleged that illegal miners in the area are responsible for the incident.
Nine people have been killed and ten others left wounded after gunmen stormed the KwaNoxolo tavern in the Tambo Section and started shooting at patrons randomly.
A manhunt has since been launched for the ten suspects who fled in a white Quantum and silver sedan. The motive of the shooting is not yet known.
Molatlhegi says the shortage of police officers in the area negatively affects police visibility.
“The community members say the attackers were illegal foreigners who do not live in the area and are linked to nearby illegal mining sites. This is not the first incident that has occurred. Even early this year, another shooting happened in another tavern in the same area in Bekkersdal. So, you would understand that Bekkersdal is an area that is surrounded by the mines and the shafts that are no longer operating. But the problem that we are faced with is the excavations that are left unattended. So, that is the problem and that’s how actually we are linking that it’s illegal miners,” adds Molatlhegi.
Related video| Survivor recalls ordeal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EM6-K3mE80
