A quiet community has been plunged into mourning following a deadly shooting at a local tavern in Zithobeni, Bronkhorstspruit, this past weekend. The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning, left five people dead and six others injured, with the suspects still at large.
The incident has left families shattered and residents stating that such violent acts have become alarmingly common in the area.
The tragedy unfolded shortly before midnight on Saturday, October 5th, 2025. According to a witness who was present, a man entered the tavern and opened fire without any warning, causing panic among the patrons.
“We were all seated inside. All was well until we heard gunshots and the suspect walked in and started shooting as he was looking for someone,” the witness recounted. “He saw that his target was still alive and continued to shoot him. As he finished, he then started shooting randomly without caring about who was hit.”
The owner of the establishment expressed the community’s growing fear, citing that this is not an isolated event. “Crime is too much. Crime is so high here. This is not the first incident. We have been robbed before. Thieves stole money and cell phones at gunpoint during [a] robbery,” the owner said.
In a statement, police spokespersons provided further details on the sequence of events. They confirmed that the police in Bronkhorstspruit responded to the shooting at approximately 1:30 AM.
“It is reported by witnesses that two men, known in the community, came into the tavern [and] demanded that one of the patrons hand over his licensed firearm. A shot went off and when patrons started running outside, the suspect fired randomly,” the police statement read.
The altercation resulted in the patron with the firearm being shot and injured, after which his weapon was taken by the suspect. The incident ultimately led to five fatalities and six injuries. The injured were transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment.
In a significant development, police announced that the injured patron, whose firearm was stolen during the chaos, will be charged with the contravention of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 for the negligent handling of his weapon.
A manhunt is currently underway for the two suspects. The Provincial Murder and Robbery Unit has registered cases of five counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder. The Provincial Citizen Violence Crimes Unit is leading the effort to trace the suspects.
Authorities are appealing to the public for assistance. Anyone with information is requested to contact the SAPS Crime Stop number at 08600 10111.
As the investigation continues, the residents of Zithobeni are left to grapple with their loss and fear, with many in the community saying they need more than just promises from police to feel safe again.
