A deadly shooting at a tavern in Wedela, Carletonville, on Saturday night has left 17 people dead and 15 others wounded. The shooting occurred at Dora’s Tavern on Hector Peterson Street, Extension 3, at about 9:30 pm. A group of armed men entered the premises and opened fire on patrons inside and outside the tavern. The SAPS has launched a major investigation into the incident.
The Gauteng government has called on law enforcement agencies to urgently mobilize all available resources to identify, arrest, and bring to justice those responsible for the shooting. The provincial government welcomed the mobilization of SAPS personnel and other emergency and law enforcement roleplayers, including acting West Rand district commissioner Brig Happy Xaba and Gauteng emergency medical services (EMS) teams who responded to the scene.
According to reports, the suspects were armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols. They allegedly searched patrons and took an undisclosed number of cellphones before fleeing in two unidentified vehicles. Two vehicles were also reportedly set alight. The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the motive and identities of the perpetrators, are under investigation.
Gauteng EMS confirmed 17 fatalities at the scene, with five people – four men and one woman – killed outside, and 12 people – nine men and three women – killed inside the tavern. A further 15 victims sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to hospitals in Carletonville and Leratong for treatment.
Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi expressed condolences to the families and friends of those killed and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. He described the incident as a “senseless loss of life” and said that there can be no justification for such an attack on innocent people.
The provincial government urged anyone with information that could assist investigators to come forward and co-operate with police. It also appealed to the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information or graphic material about the shooting, particularly on social media, saying this could cause further trauma to affected families and potentially compromise the investigation.
The government said it would work with SAPS, the West Rand district municipality, the City of Merafong, and other stakeholders to support the affected community and ensure psychosocial and other support services are made available. The SAPS has launched a national crime scene investigation (CSI) task team to process the scene and investigate the incident.
Key points
- 17 people were killed in the shooting at Dora’s Tavern in Carletonville, South Africa.
- The Gauteng government has called for urgent action to identify and arrest those responsible for the shooting.
- The SAPS has launched a major investigation into the incident, including a national crime scene investigation (CSI) task team.
