Saulsville Tavern Massacre Sparks Outrage as Manhunt Intensifies: 12 Dead, 13 Injured and a Community Living in Fear

A Weekend of Bloodshed Shocks Gauteng

Gauteng woke up bruised and breathless this weekend. Two separate incidents, a mass shooting at an illegal tavern in Saulsville and the assassination of Madlanga Commission witness Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe, painted a grim picture of a province wrestling with violent organised crime.

At the tavern alone, 25 people were shot, leaving 12 dead and 13 survivors in hospital, many critically injured. Three suspects allegedly stormed the venue in the early hours of Saturday, firing without mercy. Among the victims were young people whose families will never hear their voices again, a fact that has shaken the community to its core.

Leaders Call It Heartbreaking, Communities Call It Fear

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the scene, visibly shaken, calling the massacre “heartbreaking and unacceptable.” He offered condolences but also issued a warning, Gauteng would not surrender to lawlessness.

“We are distressed by the loss of innocent lives… We will not allow our communities to live in fear,” Lesufi said.

Behind the speeches, law enforcement is scrambling. Police, supported by specialised units, say they’re following strong leads and working around the clock to track down the shooters.

But this is not an isolated tragedy. Residents know it and so do politicians.

A Pattern Too Familiar: Crime is Becoming More Organised

ActionSA’s John Moodey did not mince words. To him, the Saulsville killings are another symptom of a deepening organised crime crisis across Gauteng.

He argued that police intelligence has collapsed and criminals know it.

“These killings show crime in Gauteng is not random; it is systemic, organized and emboldened.”

Many South Africans agree. On social media, anger is boiling. One user wrote, “We can’t bury children every weekend, when will the state fight back?” Another said simply, “Living here feels like living in a battlefield.”

These aren’t exaggerated reactions, they’re reflections of daily reality for township families who sleep with one ear trained on gunshots.

Meanwhile, Another Life Lost: Witness Assassinated After Testifying

As Saulsville reeled from the tavern massacre, police also confirmed ongoing investigations into the assassination of witness Marius van der Merwe, known as Witness D, just weeks after testifying at the Madlanga Commission. National police commissioner Fannie Masemola met with Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to assess security measures for witnesses.

Two tragedies. One province. One weekend.

The timing raises hard questions about witness safety, intelligence failures and who really controls the streets the police or the syndicates.

When Crime Becomes Culture, What Does That Mean for the Future?

uMkhonto weSizwe spokesperson Abel Tau fears South Africa’s moral fibre is slowly being stripped away, blaming weak leadership and internal collapse within policing structures.

And many in the public agree, not because they want to criticise government, but because they want to survive.

People are tired. Mothers are scared. Young men are dying in shebeens, in streets and in crossfires they never asked to be part of.

The Saulsville massacre isn’t just another headline, it’s a mirror reflecting a painful truth: crime feels organised, escalating and fearless.

The Manhunt Continues, But For Families, the Real Battle is Healing

Police have launched a full-scale manhunt for the three suspects, but even an arrest won’t erase the trauma or bring back those who died on a night that was supposed to be ordinary.

Communities want justice, but even more, they want safety, intelligence-driven policing and leaders who act before tragedy strikes, not after.

Until then, Gauteng grieves. And waits.

{Source: The Citizen}

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