Nine people were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire at a bar outside Johannesburg early on Sunday (December 21, 2025), police said, in the second such shooting in South Africa this month. South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised nation, is grappling with entrenched crime and corruption driven by organised networks. Many South Africans own licensed firearms for personal protection but there are many more illegal guns in circulation despite relatively strict ownership laws. An average of 63 people were killed each day between April and September, according to police data. Most deaths stemmed from arguments, with robberies and gang violence also driving the toll.

Source: The Hindu December 21, 2025 16:59 UTC