Motive unknown as terrified Saulsville residents refuse to speak after massacre

The motive behind the mass shooting at the Saulsville hostel in western Pretoria remains unclear, and fearful residents say they are too scared to speak out, worried that doing so could put their lives at risk.

The horrific attack in the early hours of Saturday left 12 people dead and 13 others in hospital. A graphic video circulating on community WhatsApp groups shows bodies lying in a blood-soaked hostel room next to a beer crate scattered with broken bottles, capturing the brutality of the scene.

Police say three unknown gunmen allegedly stormed into the hostel and opened fire on a group of people who were drinking. The shooting happened at about 4am, but officers were only alerted two hours later.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe confirmed that authorities have registered cases of murder and attempted murder. Among the dead is a three-year-old child, believed to be the child of the tavern owner.

One resident living near Block W2, where the attack took place, described the terror inside her home as bullets tore through the night.

“When we heard the gunshots, I took my children and made them lie on the floor to hide. After some minutes of quiet, we heard a cry,” the woman said.

She said it was the scream of a woman that alerted neighbours to the carnage and everyone went out to investigate.

Community safety activist Emmanuel Sebata, chairperson of the Concerned Atteridgeville and Saulsville Team, said the community had never experienced violence on this scale.

“This is a very disturbing matter,” he said.

“We need to come together as the Atteridgeville and Saulsville communities to fight this. Attridgeville has never received such a thing since it was established, and we cannot allow it now.”

Sebata said the area around the hostel has long been unsafe.

“Every week you hear of something. The hostel is not a safe area. We hope this is the last time something like this happens.”

He confirmed that the community plans to submit a memorandum on 15 December demanding urgent changes at the local police station.

“We hope whoever did this will be arrested. A three-year-old innocent child had nothing to do with any of this. We cannot allow such things to continue,” he said.

Police investigations are ongoing.