At least 11 people, including a three-year-old boy, were killed when gunfire erupted at an illegal bar in Pretoria, with police launching a manhunt for three unidentified suspects.

South African police said the attack unfolded on Saturday in the Saulsville township, leaving another 14 people wounded in what authorities described as a deeply disturbing burst of violence. The illegal bar, locally known as a shebeen, has now become the focus of an intensive investigation as officers work to determine what triggered the gunfire.

Officials confirmed that three minors were among the dead, including boys aged three and twelve and a sixteen-year-old girl. The scale of the casualties added fresh urgency to the operation to track down the three suspects who fled the scene before officers arrived.

Authorities have not clarified whether shots were fired inside or outside the premises, but the response has grown into a wider search supported by local units familiar with the area’s long-standing security concerns.

South Africa continues to grapple with some of the world’s highest murder rates, averaging around 60 killings a day, and the latest incident has intensified questions over community safety and the unchecked spread of illegal drinking spots across townships.

Police urged residents to come forward with any information that could help identify those responsible as the investigation continues.

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