At least 11 people have been killed in a mass shooting at a hostel in South Africa, in one of the latest violent incidents to shake the country.

Fourteen others were wounded when gunmen stormed the premises in Saulsville township, west of Pretoria, early on Saturday, according to BBC.

A three-year-old child is among the dead.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said at least three armed men entered the hostel, where a group of people were drinking, and opened fire indiscriminately. “I can confirm that a total of 25 people were shot,” she said.

The motive remains unclear, and no arrests have been made.

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The attack occurred around 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT). A 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl were also among those killed.

Mathe described the establishment as an “illegal shebeen”, noting that such unlicensed drinking spots have become hotspots for mass shootings.

“We are having a serious challenge when it comes to these illegal and unlicensed liquor premises. Innocent people also get caught up in the crossfire,” she said.

South Africa continues to battle high levels of violent crime, recording one of the world’s highest murder rates — 45 murders per 100,000 people, according to 2023–24 data from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Police figures show that between April and September alone, 63 people were killed every day.

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