1Min
South Africa
Dec 8, 2025
Police have revealed that a parolee released in September is among the suspects still on the run after the Saulsville hostel mass shooting that left twelve dead and thirteen injured. The owner of the room, accused of running an illegal shebeen, has been charged as detectives intensify the search for three fugitives.
A parolee released just three months ago has been identified as one of the suspects still on the run after the mass shooting at the Saulsville hostel in Pretoria on Saturday, where twelve people were killed and thirteen others wounded.
National police commissioner Lieut Gen Fannie Masemola confirmed during a community and media briefing outside the hostel on Monday that one of the wanted suspects had been released on parole in September. The man has a criminal history that includes attempted murder and extortion, and Masemola said he is known to or related to some of the victims.
Police have since charged the owner of the hostel room where the shooting occurred. She had allegedly been running an illegal shebeen from the room and is currently under medical care in hospital.
According to investigators, a group of gunmen walked into the room where patrons were drinking and opened fire without warning. The motive for the mass shooting remains under investigation.
Masemola said detectives are working around the clock to trace the three suspects still at large. While he suggested that investigators “might have an idea” of what triggered the killings, he said it was too early to confirm the motive.
All the victims were from KwaZulu Natal, and Masemola said investigators are probing whether the shooting may be linked to taxi related tensions or unresolved disputes from the victims’ home province.
He also revealed that police in the Atteridgeville precinct have intensified operations against illegal liquor trade, shutting down 101 illegal outlets since April. Eleven of these closures happened in the past month, and Masemola said illegal alcohol sales continue to fuel violent crime in the area.
Police confirmed that pistols were used in the attack and are still analysing whether the firearms were licensed.
The Saulsville shooting forms part of a troubling rise in mass shootings across Gauteng. Police have opened twelve counts of murder and thirteen counts of attempted murder. Officials say more arrests are expected as the investigation deepens.
