Police in South Africa have made a series of arrests as they investigate a mass shooting at a pub that left ten people dead. The incident, which took place on Sunday, has prompted a major operation focusing on the region's notorious illegal mining networks.
Major Arrests in Westonaria Raid
On Wednesday 24 December 2025, authorities confirmed the arrest of 11 people. In a coordinated operation, police and security personnel from the Sibanye-Stillwater mining company raided two houses in Westonaria, located roughly 46 kilometres outside Johannesburg.
Among those detained were nine citizens of Lesotho and one from Mozambique, all suspected of residing in South Africa illegally. During the raids, officers seized a cache of unlicensed firearms, which included four handguns and an AK-47 rifle.
Forensic Links to Bekkersdal Crime Scene
Maj. Gen. Fred Kekana, the acting provincial commissioner of Gauteng, provided an update to reporters. He stated that cartridges and live ammunition of the "same type" as the firearms found in Westonaria were recovered from the shooting scene in Bekkersdal.
These items have been sent for ballistic testing to establish a definitive connection to the pub shooting that killed 10 people. The investigation is treating this potential link as a major line of enquiry.
Broader Crackdown on Harbouring and Illegal Trade
The police net has also widened beyond the suspected miners. Authorities have arrested a South African mine employee who now faces charges related to harbouring individuals living in the country illegally and potentially defeating the ends of justice.
In a separate development on Tuesday, the owner of the pub where the massacre occurred was charged with fraud and operating an illegal liquor outlet.
The townships west of Johannesburg, such as Bekkersdal, are surrounded by abandoned mine shafts and are known hotspots for illicit mining. These operations, often run by migrants known as "zama-zamas", are frequently linked to gang violence and the spread of illegal weapons.
Sibanye-Stillwater, which runs significant legal mining operations in the region, assisted in the security operation. The case highlights the ongoing challenges faced in areas where the formal mining industry has declined, leaving a vacuum filled by dangerous and unregulated trade.
